Jardinière with chickens 1875 - 1885

This striking jardinière, or plant holder, featuring chickens was produced by Haviland & Co. The depiction of fowl on an object meant for the display of cultivated plants hints at complex relationships between nature and artifice, wildness and domesticity. Made in France, the jardinière probably catered to the tastes of wealthy consumers, for whom exotic animals and carefully arranged floral displays were potent signs of status and taste. The dark colors, painterly style, and naturalistic subject matter connect it with the Realist movement in painting, which rejected academic idealization in favor of scenes from contemporary life. Further research into the company's archives and period decorative arts publications might reveal more about the jardinière's intended audience and cultural significance. Understanding art requires attention to its original social and institutional context.