Five Birds, One Perched, Four in Flight; verso: blank c. 18th century

Editor: This is Jean-Baptiste Oudry's "Five Birds, One Perched, Four in Flight." It’s a watercolor drawing, and it feels like a quick study. The birds are so delicately rendered. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oudry, known for his animal paintings, was working within a deeply hierarchical society. The aristocracy's fascination with the natural world often served to reinforce their power and privilege. Editor: How so? Curator: Consider the exoticism of these birds. Owning representations of nature, like owning actual animals, was a status symbol, a way of demonstrating control over the world. Oudry’s work becomes a reflection of these power dynamics. What do you make of that? Editor: That gives me a lot to think about. I never considered the political implications of seemingly simple nature studies.