ATTRIBUTED TO MARMADUKE CRADOCK (CIRCA 1660-1717)
A peacock, turkey, chickens, rooster, chicks and a duck in a parkland setting
oil on canvas
52 x 56 cm

Marmaduke Cradock was born in Somerset in 1660 and as a young man became an apprentice to a house painter in London. Following this, he began painting still life including birds, as shown in the present example. Cradock specialised in depictions of domestic birds and his work reflects the influence of other recognised artists in this genre, including Jakob Bogdani, Melchior do’Hondecoeter, and Peter Frans Casteels. Today, examples of his sketches are preserved in the British Museum.

References:

Croft-Murray 1960 / Catalogue of British Drawings in the British Museum, XVI and XVII centuries (1)

Binyon 1898-1907 / Catalogue of drawings by British artists, and artists of foreign origin working in Great Britain (1)