Francisco López Caro (1600–1661), Attributed to - Venditrice di pollame

Francisco López Caro, 1600–1661, attributed
POULTRY SELLER
Oil on canvas. Re-lined.
103 x 163 cm.
113 cm x 173 cm with frame
In decorative frame.
Good condition.

Auctioned by Hampel on 2 April 2020 (lot 371), with a catalog estimate of €15,000 / €20,000.

The scene is set inside a room or a shop, where an elderly woman and a boy stand behind a wooden counter. On the table are displayed several game birds, while another poultry hangs from a long spit in the background. The elderly woman — who wears a red dress, a white collar and a dark bodice — holds a dead duck in her hand, pointing at it with her right hand; her dark eyes are directed toward the viewer, her brow slightly furrowed. Beside her is a boy, dressed in brown clothes with a cap; he holds a glass of wine in his right hand, while with his left he points to a tray on the table, which also holds two keys, a loaf of bread, cheese, and a milk jug in vivid colors. In the background, upper left, a wooden rack with four pegs is visible: from one hangs a large piece of meat (white and red), while on another there are two thin, elongated brushes hung. The painting is executed with a palette dominated by beige and brown tones, featuring strong chiaroscuro effects; standing out, in particular, are the woman’s red dress and the large piece of meat. Small retouches.

Notes:
The white milk jug and a similar figure of a boy also appear in a painting by the artist titled *Pícaro de cocina*, held at the Museo del Prado in Madrid.