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Double Study of the Head of a Dromedary

ca. 1669–71
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
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.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Double Study of the Head of a Dromedary
  • Artist: Pieter Boel (1622–1674)
  • Date: ca. 1669–71
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: Unframed: 21 1/4 × 25 9/16 in. (54 × 65 cm)
    Framed: 24 13/16 × 28 15/16 in. (63 × 73.5 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Musée du Louvre, Paris, Département des Peintures, Collection de Louis XIV (3987)
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts