Birds Of A Feather 

Danny Galieote painted “Birds of a Feather” sometime in the 20th century, though the specific date remains unknown. It presents an unusual still life, a collision of natural and artificial elements. The stacked hats, flora, fauna and looming mountains create an allegory of class and leisure. Hats, of course, signify social status, but here they are abandoned, becoming part of the landscape. Are we to assume this landscape is protected, or is it threatened by development? The feathers themselves are both adornments for the hats, and representative of the birds who are perched on them, suggesting a social critique of the fashion industry. To better understand this painting, we might turn to sources on consumer culture, environmentalism, and class in the 20th century. This research illuminates the artist’s choices and helps us interpret the painting’s statement about society.