Twee kalkoenen c. 1611 - 1612

This is a pen and ink drawing of two turkeys by Gerard ter Borch, an artist born in the Netherlands in the late 16th century. At this time the Dutch Golden Age was underway; a period of unprecedented wealth and cultural achievement. The turkey, native to the Americas, would have been a relatively new import to Europe at the time. This small drawing isn't a formal portrait but rather a sketch, perhaps from life. The artist captures the turkeys in a moment of quiet domesticity, one pecking at the ground, the other standing watch. What might it have meant to depict these animals, so foreign to the Dutch landscape? Were they symbols of global trade, exotic curiosities, or simply barnyard fowl? What is clear is that ter Borch, through his keen observation and delicate touch, invites us to consider the place of these creatures in his world and ours.