Two Peacocks; verso: blank c. 18th century

Curator: This drawing, attributed to Jean-Baptiste Oudry, depicts two peacocks. There's no precise date, but Oudry lived from 1686 to 1755, and the work is now held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: They look almost embarrassed, don't they? The colors are so muted; it’s a far cry from the ostentatious display we associate with peacocks. Curator: Oudry was known for his animal paintings, often commissioned for royal menageries. It's intriguing how these peacocks challenge traditional notions of beauty and exoticism. Editor: Absolutely. The almost pastel palette strips away that sense of imperial extravagance. It highlights, instead, a certain vulnerability. Were these studies for something larger, perhaps? Curator: It’s possible. The dimensions of the sheet are irregular, suggesting it was cut from a larger piece, likely part of a sketchbook. Editor: It feels almost like a commentary on the artifice often projected onto the natural world by those in power. Thank you, Jean-Baptiste. Curator: A fascinating glimpse into both the natural world and the social lens through which it was viewed.