Studies van papegaaien 1880 - 1946

Anna Maria Kruijff made these studies of parrots using pencil on paper, sometime between 1870 and 1946. Imagine Kruijff sitting in front of a cage of colourful parrots, her hand moving quickly to capture their shapes and gestures. It’s clear she was trying to get the angles just right, understanding the anatomy of these exotic birds. I’m really drawn to the variety of marks she uses; some are light and sketchy, others bolder and more defined. See how the parrots are perched in different poses, each with its own personality? Maybe she was fascinated by their ability to mimic human speech, their vibrant plumage, or simply their quirky charm. I know I am. I often think about how one artist influences another. I wonder if Kruijff was looking at the work of earlier artists who painted birds, or perhaps she was simply inspired by the beauty of the natural world around her. Painting is like an ongoing conversation across time, with artists building upon each other's ideas.