Artwork
Composition with Parrots and Fruit
Composition with Parrots and Fruit is an oil painting by Jakob Bogdani. It dates from 1701 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1701, this oil painting by Jakob Bogdani—an artist of Hungarian origin who spent much of his career in Britain—brings together a tableau of exotic birds and fruit. The work is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection and exemplifies Bogdani’s focus on vivid natural subjects.
Subject & Meaning
Four parrots of distinct hues—red, green, white and yellow—are arranged around a modest pile of fruit that includes grapes, an apple and a pear. The birds appear to direct their gaze toward the produce, suggesting a quiet interaction between fauna and nourishment within a domestic setting.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the painting displays Bogdani’s characteristic attention to colour and texture. The birds are rendered with fine brushwork that captures feather detail, while the fruit is depicted with a smooth, luminous finish that contrasts with the more tactile portrayal of the birds.
Context
Bogdani was renowned for his still‑life compositions that featured exotic birds, a popular subject in early‑18th‑century British art reflecting growing interest in natural history and global trade. This work aligns with that trend, pairing the exotic appeal of parrots with the familiar motif of a fruit arrangement.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings, where it remains on display. Its acquisition history beyond the museum’s records is not extensively documented, but it stands as a representative example of Bogdani’s output during his British period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jakob Bogdani (6 May 1658 - 11 November 1724), whose names are sometimes spelt Jacob and Bogdány, was a Hungarian and British artist well known for his still life and exotic bird paintings.
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Exotic fowl in an ornamental garden beside a stone vase, a fountain beyond
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Two Macaws, a Cockatoo and a Jay, with Fruit
