BIRDS – Curated by The Goldfinch & Simon Schama

Carel Fabritius, The Goldfinch (detail), 1654, Mauritshaus, The Hague.

Birds - we can’t imagine life without them. To us, birds symbolise freedom, beauty and love. But birds are also pets, a source of food or hunting trophies. The exhibition BIRDS - Curated by The Goldfinch & Simon Schama delves into our enduring relationship with these creatures that we love, yet keep in cages. What does our relationship with birds tell us about how we treat the natural world?

Carel Fabritius’ 1654 painting The Goldfinch and British (art) historian Simon Schama bring birds from around the world to the Mauritshuis. We reflect on our relationship with birds through works by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Tracey Emin, Iris van Herpen and many other artists.

The exhibition BIRDS explores our fascination with birds through seven different themes: from birds as pets to spiritual messengers. BIRDS features a dazzling collection of historical and contemporary art – paintings, drawings, natural history and fashion accessories, and an audiovisual installation. Spot the most remarkable and colourful birds in the arts, and discover the stories behind them.

Birdwatching at the Mauritshuis? Art expert Gisbert van Baalen and his friend and birdwatcher Arjan Dwarshuis of the Birdspotcast have created a special audio tour that you can listen to for free.