Liggende dode vogel, met de kop naar beneden hangend 1803

Curator: Here we have a work by Jean Bernard from 1803, "Liggende dode vogel, met de kop naar beneden hangend"—or "Lying dead bird, with its head hanging down," which we can find at the Rijksmuseum. It is a drawing rendered in pencil. Editor: Gosh, what a title! So literal, it's almost clinical. My first thought: melancholy. It’s such a simple scene, yet it conveys a deep sense of stillness and the end of something. Curator: The subject is typical of studies from life drawings. Works like this served as references for other, more elaborate compositions. There's a history of animal studies used to examine life and death, revealing the anatomical structures of animals while inviting us to meditate on mortality and temporality in relation to social constructions of nature. Editor: You know, it’s funny, the detail is astounding – look at the texture of the feathers, the way the light falls. There's almost a kind of beauty in its lifelessness. Is that strange to say? It makes you think about the bird, and then...about life and the lack thereof, it becomes something to ponder... Curator: Not at all. I believe this image prompts us to ponder complex systems that relate to consumption, the cycle of life, and the ethics of representation in relation to our consumption of natural resources. How does an image such as this shape our view on nature and the power structures inherent within this cycle? Editor: I can see that. I mean, the stark realism, it's not romanticized, is it? Almost brutal in its honesty. Like, "Here it is, death is like this." And maybe it forces you to confront something that we often prefer to ignore, I see now that can cause shifts in views and understandings. Curator: Exactly. The dead bird becomes a symbol for thinking through complex power relations. Editor: It’s heavier than it looks for just a small sketchbook drawing... Well, I am seeing this artwork with different eyes now, and maybe seeing what's outside of its borders too.