Still Life with Muffs, a Scarf and Mask

The motif of muffs represents the height of Hollar’s graphic art. Not only did he display unprecedented mastery in his rendering of fur, but the still lifes with muffs represent an important moment of originality in Hollar’s oeuvre, which includes no other original still lifes despite its wide range of themes. He did a separate sheet featuring muffs as early as 1642, but did not turn his full attention to the theme until his later exile in Antwerp in 1644-1652.