Birds – we can’t imagine life without them. To us, birds symbolise freedom, beauty and love. But birds are also pets, a source of food or hunting trophies. BIRDS delves into our enduring relationship with these creatures that we love, yet keep in cages. What does our relationship with birds tell us about how we treat the natural world?
Carel Fabritius’ 1645 painting The Goldfinch and British (art) historian Simon Schama bring birds from around the world to the Mauritshuis. We reflect on our relationship with birds through works by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Tracey Emin and Iris van Herpen.
Pet, food or trophy?
The exhibition BIRDS explores our fascination with birds through seven different themes: from birds as pets to spiritual messengers. BIRDS features a dazzling collection of historical and contemporary art – paintings, drawings, natural history and fashion accessories, and an audiovisual installation. Spot the most remarkable and colourful birds in the arts, and discover the stories behind them.
Birdspotcast at BIRDS
Art connoisseur Gisbert van Baalen and his friend and birdwatcher Arjan Dwarshuis host the Vogelspotcast. They teamed up with the Mauritshuis before to create a special bird podcast. You can also go birdwatching at the BIRDS exhibition. Arjan and Gisbert are making a special audio tour that you can listen to for free.
Would you like a sneak preview? Listen to the episode of the Vogelspotcast at the Mauritshuis.
Co-curators: The Goldfinch and Simon Schama
The Goldfinch, one of the best-loved paintings in the Mauritshuis, is the exhibition’s extraordinary host. But even he needed a little help. And he got it from none other than the renowned art historian Simon Schama, the exhibition’s guest curator. In his 2023 book, Foreign Bodies, he explores the boundary and interconnectedness between humanity and nature.
Martine Gosselink, director of the Mauritshuis, on the collaboration with Simon Schama: “When I read Simon’s book, I was shocked by the dismal statistics and examples of where we, as humans and nature, now stand. I thought: if we don’t turn the tide now, what will our future look like? I was determined that the museum should offer a counter-narrative. With BIRDS, we focus attention on these winged creatures, and help to promote awareness of the importance of biodiversity on our planet.”
