Standing Merganser Looking Backward; verso: Soaring Bird c. 18th century

Editor: This is Jean-Baptiste Oudry's "Standing Merganser Looking Backward." The monochrome rendering is really quite striking. What sort of symbolism do you see in this creature? Curator: The merganser itself, as a water bird, can symbolize adaptability and resourcefulness. But look closer – its backward gaze is a powerful motif. Is it caution? Regret? Or perhaps a symbolic link to the past, informing its present? Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn't considered the direction of its gaze as being significant. Curator: Oudry's choice elevates the bird beyond mere observation. It becomes a vessel carrying cultural memory, inviting us to reflect on our own relationship to history and instinct. It is this tension between the natural world and human perception that lends this piece its enduring appeal. Editor: I see that now. Thanks for making that clear.