Haan valt een pauw aan 1708 - 1749

Peter Casteels the Third created this print, Haan valt een pauw aan, or Rooster Attacks a Peacock, sometime between the late 17th and mid-18th century. Casteels was a Flemish painter and printmaker, a part of a family legacy of artists, who spent a significant portion of his career in England. The print depicts a dramatic clash between birds, with a rooster fiercely attacking a peacock, while other birds scatter around them. But what are we to make of this avian battle? During this period, the peacock was often a symbol of wealth and aristocracy, standing in stark contrast to the humble rooster. Through this lens, the print might be seen as a commentary on the social and political tensions of the time, perhaps even reflecting the artist's own negotiation of identity as a Flemish artist working in the English court. It makes me think about the ways in which artists use symbols and metaphors to express complex social issues and personal experiences.