Oiseau Verni (Oiseau VII) (Varnished Bird) 1954

Editor: Here we have "Oiseau Verni (Oiseau VII)" or "Varnished Bird", a linocut print on paper made in 1954 by Georges Braque. The stark contrast and simplified form give it an almost iconic quality. What's your take on it? Curator: For me, this little bird zings with the joy of simple existence, like finding the perfect skipping stone. Braque, remember, lived through two world wars; maybe this pared-down bird is a kind of phoenix, an insistence on hope after all that devastation. Notice how the roughness of the linocut gives the bird a sense of being handcrafted, precious, and somehow very *real*, despite being abstracted. It reminds me of a child’s drawing – full of life. What does it bring to mind for you? Editor: I hadn’t thought about the wartime context, that makes total sense. For me, it’s the framing that gets me - it’s so graphic, so bold, and yet that wavy border has something very human and approachable about it, kind of like a little postage stamp for the soul. Curator: A postage stamp for the soul, I love that! And you're right. Braque often played with the idea of framing, pulling us in and pushing us away at the same time. Does it fly, or is it stuck? Both, I think! Maybe Braque wants us to consider the freedom we all long for, but also the limitations of life itself. Heavy, I know…! Editor: That's powerful. The juxtaposition of freedom and constraint, presented in such a deceptively simple form... Curator: Absolutely, it proves that profundity can hide in plain sight! It is just a little bird. And isn't that marvellous?