Struisvogel 1660

Dirck de Bray created this small print of an Ostrich sometime in the 17th century. The artist captures our attention with an awkward, long-necked bird rendered through stark contrasts of black ink on a light background. The lines are clean and decisive, giving the creature a somewhat unsettling presence. De Bray’s background in architecture and painting clearly informs his grasp of form and composition. This print shows a confident handling of line and texture. The parallel lines in the sky create a sense of depth, while the jagged lines of the landscape give it an almost primordial feel. The ostrich itself becomes a signifier, perhaps of exoticism, ignorance, or even satire, depending on the viewer’s interpretation. The peculiar object it appears to be holding in its foot, alongside the decaying tree, introduces an allegorical dimension, one that destabilizes a straightforward reading. This print invites us to ponder the symbolic potential inherent in its composition and to question the presumed meanings we ascribe to such imagery.