Painting of the Day: Composition with Parrots and Fruit, c.1699

Composition with Parrots and Fruit, c. 1699
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The Victoria & Albert Museum

 

Painted by Jacob Bogdani (1655-1724), this still-life is entitled “Composition with Parrots and Fruit.”  It was created sometime near 1699, but it’s hard to pinpoint an exact date for any of Bogdani’s work since his style hardly changed at all throughout his lifetime.

Born in Eperjes, Hungary sometime between 1655 and 1660, Jacob Bogdani was the son of a landed gentleman.  Between 1684 and 1686, he was documented as living in Amsterdam.  By June of 1688, he is recorded as living in London where he set up shop as a painter, producing predominately floral pieces.  He found great success and was so prosperous that he was able to  to purchase estates at Finchley, Spalding and Hitchin.

This piece, as with all of his works, shows his desire to create lush and expensive-looking scenes.  He often depicted birds in his still-lifes in order to create a sense of luxury.  Many of the birds in this painting appear in several other of Bogdani’s works. The Scarlet Macaw appears frequently in his pieces.

Bogdani was a favorite painter of King William III who brought the artist into contact with the British gentry, many of whom commissioned works from the artist.