Twee kinderen met een vogel spelend 1632 - 1664

Girolamo Rossi created this etching of two children playing with a bird in the mid-17th century. Such prints were typically made for collectors with money and education, who were part of a growing art market in Europe. What are we to make of this playful scene? The bird, tied with a string, could be a pet, kept for amusement. But it also speaks to a wider debate in Early Modern Europe, about freedom and captivity, nature and culture. The image is striking because it leaves the tension between the child and the bird unresolved. As historians, we can dig deeper, reading contemporary literature and philosophical debates to better understand the meaning of Rossi's work, recognizing that art always exists in a specific time and place.