•D2452. Polychrome Birdcage Plaque

Painted featuring a goldfinch perched within a wooden cage the blue front base rim adorned with a band of green foliate and iron-red-yellow flowers, with on the right a brown shutter, on the left side a feeding cup with landscape set against a yellow background covered with manganese network, the arched top with a hole for suspension.

DIMENSIONS
Height: 27.5 cm. (10.8 in.)
Width: 29.5 cm. (11.6 in.)

PROVENANCE
French Private Collection, Paris, 2023 (Provenance+)

NOTE
The Romans were among the first to cage birds. The symbolism of a caged bird extends beyond its literal captivity; it serves as a metaphor for individuals ensnared by love. In the Christian tradition, a bird in a cage transforms into a symbol representing the Christian virtue of hope.