Folio recto: Blank; verso: Dead Red Partridge c. 18th century

Editor: This is Jean-Baptiste Oudry's "Dead Red Partridge." There's no date on the piece, and it's a simple drawing. It's unsettling to see the bird's limp form. What is your interpretation of this work? Curator: Oudry's drawing, beyond its representational quality, speaks volumes about the social and political structures of his time. Hunting was a privilege, largely confined to the aristocracy, symbolizing power over nature and the lower classes. Oudry, as a court artist, was complicit in this visual language. How does this context shape your understanding of the image? Editor: It highlights the stark power dynamics. Seeing it as just a drawing of a bird misses the point. Curator: Precisely! It's about understanding art as a reflection of societal inequalities and the artist's role within those structures. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't fully considered. Thanks for opening my eyes.