Standing Bird Looking Right; verso: Two Wading Ducks Flapping Their Wings and Looking Upward c. 18th century

Editor: Here we have Jean-Baptiste Oudry's "Standing Bird Looking Right." It looks like watercolor and ink on paper. The way the bird's rendered, it almost feels like a study of texture. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: The paper itself is crucial. Look at its age, its weave. Oudry was working in a time of intense material exchange. Where did this paper come from? Was it local, or imported? This informs our understanding of the piece. Editor: So, the very materials tell a story beyond just the image itself? Curator: Precisely. The labor involved in creating the ink, processing the paper, and Oudry's own training—it all speaks to a complex web of production and consumption. What do you think? Editor: That's a fascinating perspective. I'll definitely be thinking more about the materials used in artworks from now on.