D2451. Polychrome Birdcage Plaque

A trompe l’oeil birdcage, painted with a yellow bird perched within a wooden cage with on the left a blue feeding cup and on the right a small shutter, the arched top with two holes for suspension.

DIMENSIONS
Height: 26 cm (10.2 in.)
Width: 26 cm (10.2 in.)

PROVENANCE
French Private Collection, Paris, 2023 (Provenance+)

NOTE
The VOC (Dutch East India Company) imported several exotic creatures from Asia to the Netherlands in the seventeenth century. Exotic birds that were kept as pets in the Netherlands were among these creatures. The menageries, aviaries, and cabinets of natural curiosities that many enthusiasts gathered are indications of the growing interest in nature, which is congruent with the introduction of animals. In the seventeenth century, birdcages were frequently suspended from the ceiling by ropes or ribbons and beautifully adorned on the underside. They werenoticeable within the affluent home and enhanced the room they were placed within. However, earthenware birdcages were impractical because they could distort or even collapse in the kiln. Delft potters ingeniously created birdcage plaques as a suitable substitute.