Hen Run at a Manor

There is unrest in the gathering of birds. A peacock and an African black crowned crane are at odds, and the noise prompts a hen to gather her chicks around her. A cock and a small spaniel intervene, and in the background a southern cassowary completes the scene. In contrast to most older paintings of animals, it is unlikely that these birds are symbols of anything. Rather, the artist has tried to create a vivid and dynamic composition. Accurate and precise depictions of living animals and their behavior were unusual at this time. Melchior d'Hondecoeter was an expert on making large-scale paintings of exotic and more commonplace birds. The extensive trading of the 17th century meant that many rare animals, hitherto unknown to Europeans, were brought back to The Netherlands. If you were not quite wealthy and grand enough to have your own menagerie you could always decorate your home with paintings of such costly status symbols.