Ontwerp voor een zaalstuk: twee vrouwen en kind met een papegaai 1756

Dionys van Nijmegen created this design for a 'zaalstuk', or a room decoration, using pen in grey-brown ink, around the 18th century. At the forefront, a woman interacts with a parrot, a bird often associated with mimicry and the acquisition of knowledge. The parrot's presence here is intriguing. In medieval times, parrots were symbols of wealth and exoticism, often depicted in illuminated manuscripts as precious companions. But, in religious iconography, the parrot sometimes perched near the Virgin Mary, symbolizing the Annunciation. Its ability to "speak" was seen as a parallel to the divine word being spoken to Mary. Over time, the parrot's symbolic role has shifted, sometimes becoming a mere decorative element, yet retaining a subtle echo of its earlier, more profound associations. Consider how, much like the figures in this design, symbols carry their histories within them, resurfacing in unexpected ways to stir our collective memory.