Squirrels

Squirrels by Christoffel Bisschop from 1904 is an unusual departure from the Frisian domestic interiors and figure paintings that dominate his output. Animal subjects — particularly small mammals and birds — had a long tradition in Dutch decorative and genre painting, and Bisschop's treatment of squirrels may reflect this tradition as much as direct observation from nature. The Fries Museum holds this alongside his more characteristic works, where it occupies a peripheral but interesting position in his output as evidence of the range of subjects he occasionally explored beyond his primary concerns.

Bisschop approaches the squirrels with the same careful observation he brought to domestic objects and figures. The animals' distinctive forms — the bushy tail, the alert posture — are rendered with attentive precision. His handling captures the texture of fur through short, layered strokes that convey the softness and movement of the animals' coat.