The Bird Nester
Medium
Etching; second state of three
Dimensions
Sheet: 5 11/16 × 8 1/4 in. (14.5 × 21 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.6584
Tags
Art Historical Context
The Bird Nester, created around 1606, captures a lively rural scene of men climbing trees in pursuit of birds and their nests, surrounded by dense foliage. This etching, produced in the second state of three, reflects the collaborative efforts of Flemish-born artist David Vinckboons, known for his detailed landscapes and genre scenes, and Dutch printmaker Claes Jansz. Visscher, who often reproduced such works for wider distribution. At just 5 11/16 by 8 1/4 inches, the print’s modest scale made it accessible to collectors during the Dutch Golden Age. Etchings like this one played a vital role...
About the Artist
David Vinckboons|Claes Jansz. Visscher · 1576–1632
David Vinckboons (baptized 13 August 1576 – c. 1632) was a Flemish-born painter who became a pivotal figure in the Dutch Golden Age. Born in Mechelen in the Southern Netherlands, he was the son of Philips Vinckboons, a watercolor painter on canvas, under whom he studied as his sole teacher, according to Karel van Mander. The family fled religious turmoil, moving first to Antwerp around 1580, then ...