Cadogan Gallery, London, Birds, Beasts and Animals, 3 - 24 December 1985.

The canvas has been relined but this has not overly flattened the paint surface, though there is some minor abrasion apparent in the brown tones used for the ground. There are two small knocks visible on the paintings surface; one to the centre of the painting which measures approximately 3 by 5cm. and one lower right which measures approximately 3 by 2 cm. The paint surface is uneven in the upper left hand corner of the painting and this seems to relate to some old restored tears, one measuring approximately 15cm. in this area, which are revealed under UV light. Inspection under UV light reveals scattered retouchings throughout the sky, with the birds and foreground bearing fewer scattered spot retouchings and strengthenings. Offered in an ornate gilt wood and plaster frame in good condition, if a little rubbed.
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Paul de Vos is best known as a talented and skilful follower of his brother in law Frans Snyders, to whom many of his better works have often been attributed. Like the older artist he specialised in hunting scenes, still lifes and depictions of animals and birds.  Whilst his early output was so close to Snyders that motifs recur in works by both artists by the time de Vos has reached his maturity he was creating ski𝓰lfully executed, ind🎉ependent compositions that are marked out from Snyders by their more boisterous compositions, by an increase in the actual details of the hunt and kill and by a heightened interest in the movement of animals rather than in their precise anatomy.  This can be seen in the present painting which is dominated by an alighting heron, wings outstretched. 

Jan Wildens collaborated with a number of Antwerp artists providing the landscape backgrounds for their compositions. As well as de Vos he also 🌼worked with Rubens, Jacob Jordaens, Frans Snyders, Abraham Janssen, Jan Boeckhorst, Gerard Seghers, Cornelis Schut and Theodoor Rombouts.