Vogel met zwarte veren en een rode krop, staande, naar links c. 1699 - 1719

This is a drawing of a turkey facing left, created by Nicolaas Struyk. The dark plumage of the bird contrasts sharply with the stark white background, immediately drawing our attention to the subject. The artist's meticulous rendering of the feathers captures a sense of texture and depth, while the vibrant red wattle and blue head introduce a dynamic interplay of colour. Struyk masterfully uses the interplay of line and colour to explore the tension between naturalism and artistic interpretation. The bird is depicted with scientific precision, yet its isolation against the empty background introduces an element of abstraction, encouraging us to see beyond mere representation. The artwork can be understood through the lens of semiotics, where each element—the bird, its colour, its pose—functions as a signifier. The turkey, typically a symbol of abundance, is stripped of its cultural context and presented as an object of aesthetic contemplation. Note the subtle shift from the detailed rendering of the bird to the almost gestural indication of landscape, which pushes the interpretation of the work from scientific record to aesthetic object.