In March we welcomed home Jean-Baptiste Oudry’s Indian Blackbuck and Three Pointers (1745) from the Palace of Versailles where it has been on loan as a key part of their Exhibition Les Animaux du Roi which ran from November to February.

The painting was one of the highlights of the exhibition which brought to life the iconic French palace and gardens teeming with animal life under the French Ancien Régime of the 17th and 18th centuries. Very much a favourite of Louis XV, Oudry was made Painter-in-Ordinary of the Royal Hunt, living at the Tuileries Palace and later at the Louvre - Russborough’s painting was most likely completed in his studio there.

Oudry’s oeuvre includes celebrated portraiture and tapestry design, nevertheless he is best known for his exceptional still-life works and his skill in depicting animals.

The decision to loan a work, especially one as significant as this, is never taken lightly. Careful assessment and planning, along with lots of paperwork and plenty of oversight all come into play. The transport of the painting both to Versailles and on return, is a very careful process involving our curatorial and conservatory team. Once the painting arrived safely back within the walls of Russborough it was examined in great detail to ensure there was no damage and then rehung where it belongs. Book your house tour online to see the famous painting.