A couple with a birdcage underneath a tree c. 1752 - 1757

This porcelain sculpture by Wilhelm Caspar Wegely depicts a couple with a birdcage beneath a blossoming tree. The cage, a potent symbol, embodies contradictory notions: on one hand, it represents confinement and restriction, yet it also suggests protection, care, and the taming of wild instincts. Consider how, across cultures, the image of a caged bird often symbolizes the soul or spirit held captive. The act of releasing a bird from its cage appears in various mythologies and religious traditions, signifying liberation and spiritual awakening. Here, however, the figures seem to interact with the bird in a manner that hints at both control and nurturing. The blossoming tree above them is a symbol of growth and life, yet the cage suggests a deliberate intervention in nature’s course. This interplay evokes a deep-seated tension between our desire to dominate and our capacity to nurture. The sculpture invites us to contemplate the complex ways we engage with the natural world and with each other, forever oscillating between freedom and constraint.