Felice Boselli (1650-1732)- Attributed., Still Life with an Ox Head, a Chicken, and a Turkey

This powerful and meticulously rendered still life is attributed to the Italian painter Felice Boselli, a master known for his realistic depictions of kitchen and market scenes. The painting showcases a dramatic close-up of a severed ox head, a chicken, and a turkey, all suspended and ready for preparation. The ox head, a central and imposing element, is painted with remarkable detail, capturing the texture of the skin and the vacant gaze of its eye.
The artist's use of a dark, almost theatrical background emphasizes the objects in the foreground, creating a striking contrast and adding a sense of solemnity to the scene. The fine brushwork is evident in the rendering of the feathers, the fleshy parts of the animals, and the subtle play of light on their surfaces.
This work is a fine example of the still life genre, which flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries. It speaks to the tastes of the time, when such subjects were not only seen as a display of artistic skill but also as a reflection on life, death, and the natural world.