In short

Wijntrack was one of the important 17^th century Dutch specialists of poultry and of bird painting.

After his appointment as clerk of the States of Holland and West Friesland in The Hague in 1657 Wijntrack does not seem to have painted much anymore. 

About Dirck Wijntrack

Dutch painter
Heusden before 1625 – 1678 The Hague

Animal painter, especially of landscapes with birds and with poultry. Also active as a painter of barn interiors.

Wijntrack was most probably born in Heusden, near ‘s Hertogenbosch (Bois-le-Duc).

It is not known whom he studied painting with, but this must have been in Rotterdam. 
In or maybe even before 1646 he married in Rotterdam with a sister-in-law of the famous painter Ludolf de Jongh. The couple had at least two children: a daughter and a son.

Between circa 1651 and 1655 he is documented in Gouda, in 1655 in nearby Schoonhoven.

Finally between 1657 and his death in 1678 he settled at The Hague, where he had been appointed clerk of the States of Holland and West Friesland in 1657. He kept this position until his death. Because of the financial security coming with this new and important job Wijntrack did not paint much anymore. There is only one dated painting known from after 1654 (a biblical subject).

After his first wife had passed away he remarried in 1662 with the widow of a local baker.

Wijntrack specialised in painting poultry, ducks and small pet animals.
He often collaborated with landscape painters:
- with Haarlem-born Jan Wijnants, who was active in Amsterdam since 1660 until his death in 1684;
- regularly with Amsterdam-born Joris van der Haagen I, who was active in The Hague from 1640 until his death in 1669. After his nomination as clerk Wijntrack seems to have been replaced by Ludolf de Jongh as van der Haagen’s staffage painter.

Why should you buy this painting?

Because the ducks in our colourful and vivid scene stand close to an also unsigned painting by Wijntrack from the Bredius Museum in The Hague.