Still Life with PeacocksRembrandt Harmensz van Rijn

Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn’s ’Still Life with Peacocks’ (c. 1639) depicts the opulence of 17th-century Dutch life. Peacocks, considered a delicacy, were often used in pasties. Rembrandt shows the traditional method of hanging the birds to drain their blood in a pantry. His attention to the vibrant blues, greens, and yellow ochres of the plumage highlights the bird’s majestic beauty and reflects the era’s culinary customs.