Cocks, chickens and turkeys with pigeons flying above on a yard by a mansion

Now almost forgotten, the artist must have received high esteem in his own time. Having returned from Italy in his native Berlin by 1681, he was appointed court painter at the Brandenburger court in 1695. As pointed out in Saur's Allgemeines Kunstlerlexikon,VII,1997, p.339, his oeuvre consists of landscapes and animalpieces, of which the majority is presumably in castles and mansions in and around Berlin.
As only a few pictures by the artist are recorded today, the present and following lot allow to establish an idea of Caulitz' art, which was obviously inspired by Dutch prototypes. As sources of inspiration for the compositions of the present and following lot might have served prototypes by Melchior d'Hondecoeter and Jan Weenix.
This inspiration followed the fashion of the time. After 1700 it was replaced by French modes. As so many courtpainters in Germany with him, Caulitz' reputation declined soon after death and needs reassessment.