Three Parrots 

Editor: This is Richard Parkes Bonington's "Three Parrots" from the Tate Collections. It appears to be a study in colored chalk, and I'm struck by the contrast between the vibrant top parrot and the muted tones of the two below. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Notice how Bonington uses the chalk not just for color, but to build form, mimicking the texture of feathers. Consider the availability of exotic birds and pigments at the time. How does this acquisition and representation reflect colonial trade and material culture? Editor: So the drawing becomes less about the birds themselves and more about the social and economic systems that made their depiction possible? Curator: Precisely. It encourages us to consider the labor and resources involved in producing this image, broadening our understanding of the artwork. Editor: I see it now, thank you! I learned to think about the materials in a new way.