Bird of paradise (Paradisaea apoda), Anselmus Boëtius de Boodt, 1596 - 1610
brush, h 302mm × w 172mm More details
The myth that birds of paradise never had any feet and thus spent their life in perpetual flight goes back to ancient times. This draughtsman seems to have believed that as well. Even the 18th-century French inscription, sans pattes (without feet), emphasizes this apparent feature. In reality, the feet were removed by the local traders who sent the stuffed birds from Asia to Europe.
