Duck and Bird, both with Wings Extended ; verso: blank c. 18th century

Editor: This is Jean-Baptiste Oudry's "Duck and Bird, both with Wings Extended." The watercolor gives it a delicate, almost ephemeral quality. What symbolic readings do you find in these avian figures? Curator: Notice how both birds have their wings extended and heads turned upward, almost in unison. Birds, historically, symbolize the soul's journey or aspiration. The duck, often linked to domesticity, contrasts with the smaller bird, suggesting perhaps a spiritual yearning within the everyday. What memories or feelings does their shared pose evoke for you? Editor: I feel a sense of hope and striving. It's fascinating to see such depth in a seemingly simple sketch. Curator: Precisely! Oudry uses familiar imagery to tap into deeper, shared human experiences of aspiration and the delicate balance between earthly and spiritual realms.