The Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham presents starting with the 26th of January an amusing and groundbreaking exhibition, dedicated to the presence of parots in the world of art, from the works of Durer to the elegant compositions signed by Elizabeth Butterworth. The idea has already appealed to the public, who is discovering by means of art the special relationship between men and these inteligent, colourful and playful birds, over the centuries, and mainly the picturing of parrots in the works of various artists.
Beautiful and exotic birds, the parrots first appeared in artistic works in the third and fourth century BC, when they were first brought to Europe, and since then they have been a frequent presence, playing the role of religious symbols, house pets in genre scenes and even the role of people in alegorical compositions. Besides the works signed by various artists, such as Tiepolo, Reynolds or Landseer, the organizers have chosen illustrations signed by Edward Lear and Quentin Blake, as well as a rich selection of paintings produced by Elizabeth Butterworth, the most important living parrot illustrator in art history.
The exhibition is curated by the Institute's director, Richard Verdi, a respected art historian and parrot lover and owner, and most of the works are loans from several important museums and galleries, such as Tate, National Gallery or Rijksmueum in Amsterdam.
February 2007
