Pheasant 

Here is the audio guide script: Theodor Pallady painted this still life of a pheasant with oil on cardboard, capturing its lifeless form with a somber palette. The bird, a symbol of abundance and luxury in many cultures, is here stripped of its vitality, laid bare for the viewer's contemplation. The motif of dead game has resonated through art history, appearing in Dutch Golden Age paintings as vanitas symbols, reminders of mortality. Consider how the vibrant depictions of fowl in ancient Roman mosaics—celebrations of nature's bounty—contrast with the stillness Pallady conveys. This juxtaposition highlights a recurring theme in art: the cyclical dance between life and death. The stillness evokes feelings of melancholia, inviting reflection on the transience of existence, a primal recognition of our own mortality. The pheasant, once a symbol of vitality, becomes a poignant reminder of the inevitable. As the motif resurfaces in different contexts, it encourages us to consider the evolving meanings we ascribe to such symbols.