Unit 4 Midpost

"Swan Attacked by a Dog" - Jean Baptiste Oudry

This image represents the people whom the artist, Jean Baptiste Oudry, was regularly commissioned from.  Oudry worked with high ranking individuals of society in France, including Louis XV of France.  The French king was captivated by the artist’s ability to depict animals in realistic drama.  Additionally, nobility from other countries such as Sweden and Russia sought after his works.  Jean Baptiste Oudry certainly had notoriety as an artist due to the amount of requests for his work from high society.

Around the time periods when Jean Baptiste Oudry was an active painter there was many conflicts before, during, and after the creation of “Swan Attacked by a Dog”.  The Seven Years War, the Polish and Austrian Succession Wars, and the French Revolution took place near the artist’s lifetime.  Some of these events created a cause and effect leading into one another.  Since the piece was made between these events, it may have been molded by the situations.







The swan is a key figure in the “Swan Attacked by a Dog”.  Oudry was known for his depictions of animals and game in realistic detail and the swan has metaphoric significance.  The swan may represent the higher class due to its pristine and pure appearance.  Perhaps since the swan is being attacked, it may allude to the frustration the people have with the government and the king.





The second key figure of the painting is the dog assaulting the swan.  Louis XV once commissioned the artist to capture the essence of the royal hunting dogs.  The inclusion of the dog may be in favor of the king.  However, it may also represent the lower class.  Decades later, during the French Revolution the peasants engaged the nobles and attacked them.  The citizens grew restless and turn on the royal family in the ensuing chaos during the time.




This is an image of Jean Baptiste Oudry’s mentor, Nicolas de Largilliere.  While Oudry did not initially pick up art from his father, his went under the tutelage of Largilliere and prosper his artistic prowess.  Nicolas taught Oudry rococo painting and in turn left his legacy with him and his nephew.  The artist bestowed skill and knowledge to his pupils and helped flourish Oudry’s career.