Twee pauwen en kalkoen 1594

This is Nicolaes de Bruyn's "Two Peacocks and a Turkey," a print housed at the Rijksmuseum. The composition is immediately striking, presenting an unusual combination of birds within a meticulously detailed landscape. Notice how de Bruyn uses the stark contrast of black lines against the white paper to define the texture of feathers and foliage, inviting a tactile experience. The arrangement of the animals is far from natural; it is constructed. Each bird displays its plumage as if on exhibit, demanding our attention. The peacocks, symbols of pride, and the turkey, a more humble creature, create a visual tension. The setting, a blend of cultivated garden and wild landscape, further complicates the reading. Could this be a commentary on the artificiality of aristocratic display? Perhaps a reflection on the exotic and the domestic? Whatever the case, the artist challenges us to consider the symbolic weight of each element and how they interact. It's in this interplay of form and content that the work finds its enduring power, destabilizing any easy reading.