A Grey Crowned Crane, Muscovy Duck and African Goose on a River Bank

Att. to JOHANN RUDOLF BYSS

1660-1738

Swiss School

A Grey Crowned Crane, Muscovy Duck and African Goose on a River Bank

Oil on canvas

71.3 x 58.3 cms

28 1/4 x 23 inches   

Johann Rudolf Byss began his career as a pupil of his father, Frans Joseph Byss. He continued his artistic education with extensive travels to Italy, Germany and England but it was finally at Prague that he settled and where he was to execute some of his finest work, which was usually still life or bird paintings, often in classical settings.

Later in Vienna he was commissioned by the Emperor Leopold 1st to decorate the Palace of Hofburg with extensive ceiling and wall paintings. Here he also executed work for the Royal Library.

In 1713 he was appointed Court Painter to the Elector of Mayence. He was also ordered to oversee the new galleries constructed at the Palace of Pommersfelden and Galbrach.

In around 1721 he settled in Soleure. Upon the death of the Elector he continued to work for his successor, Friedrich Karl and settled at Wurzburg where he was to die in 1738.


Museums where example of the artist's work can be found include:

Wurzburg (Universitatsbibliotec), Schloss Pommersfelden, Solothurn Kunstmuseum, Kassel (Staatlisches Gemaldegalerie), Nurnberg (Germanisches Nationalmuseum), Aschaffenburg (Schlossmuseum), Prague (Narodni Galerie), Bamberg (Stadtische Galerie), Vienna (Schonborn Galerie), Prague (Straka-Palais), Schleissheim and Budapest.