['Ten birds on five stylized scrolls with two peacocks', 'Friezes with birds'] c. 1630

Bartholomeus van Lochom created this frieze with birds using etching techniques. The composition is dominated by the contrast between the static presence of the peacocks on the left and the dynamic movement of the smaller birds scattered across the frame. Van Lochom uses a semiotic system of signs to interpret the visual components, where the birds aren't just representations of nature but carriers of cultural meaning. The peacocks, traditionally symbols of opulence, juxtapose with the other birds, which embody freedom and agility. The stylized scrolls act as both a visual connector and a structural element, weaving through the figures to create a sense of rhythm and continuity, while the varying perspectives and poses of the birds introduce an element of playfulness. Note how the artist destabilizes conventional representations by blurring the lines between naturalism and symbolic abstraction. The etchings function aesthetically and act as part of a larger cultural dialogue about perception and representation.