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Double Study of the Head of a Dromedary

Pieter Boel

Not on view

Boel’s double study of a dromedary’s head reveals the artist’s keen observation and great skill in rendering its hair. The British author and lexicographer Dr. Samuel Johnson had difficulties differentiating between a dromedary and a camel while visiting the Menagerie. He reported in 1775 that he saw "the Camel or dromedary with two bunches." The wild and unfamiliar creatures were among the main tourist attractions at Versailles.

Double Study of the Head of a Dromedary, Pieter Boel (1622–1674), Oil on canvas

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© RMN-Grand Palais/Art Resource, NY, photo by Martine Beck-Coppola