Izaak van Oosten

[3] His compositions appear to have been popular and incorporate all the elements of the Antwerp school of landscape painting of the first half of the 17th century.

He appears generally not to have been influenced by the woodland painters with their preference for dense forest scenes.

There is no evidence that Van Oosten travelled to Italy and his Italianate landscapes must therefore have been inspired by the work of other painters.

[7] These themes allowed him to show off his skills in painting a variety of animal species – mammals, fish and birds, as well as the imaginary unicorns.

[5][6] He often painted on copper, the smooth surface of which allowed him to arrive at his detailed depictions of flora and fauna.