Artwork
Two Grey Red-Tailed Parrots
Two Grey Red-Tailed Parrots is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Adriaen Collaert. It dates from 1600 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Adriaen Collaert’s early‑17th‑century engraving presents a pair of grey parrots with distinctive red tails, positioned on a branch and facing one another. The left bird is captured in the act of feeding on a fruit, while its counterpart gazes toward a flowering plant. Behind them, a modest village unfolds, complete with dwellings, trees and a figure attending to livestock.
Subject & Meaning
The composition juxtaposes exotic avian life with a tranquil rural setting, suggesting a dialogue between the natural world’s diversity and everyday human activity. The parrots, prized for their vivid plumage, may symbolize the allure of far‑off lands, while the domestic scene grounds the image in familiar, agrarian routines.
Technique & Style
Collaert employs fine cross‑hatching to render texture, giving the feathers, bark and architectural elements a palpable depth. The precise line work delineates each feather and beak, while varying density of strokes creates chiaroscuro effects that model form and space, characteristic of Northern European printmaking of the period.
History & Provenance
Created around 1600, the print belongs to Collaert’s productive phase as a leading engraver in Antwerp, where he collaborated with prominent publishers. Surviving copies are held in several European print collections, reflecting the work’s circulation among collectors of natural history and decorative prints during the early modern era.
Artist & collection
