Birds in the kitchen: 16th through 18th century bird cages

There are several paintings... particularly from the 1600s... showing bird cages in the kitchen and taverns. Many of the paintings by the Dutch painter Jan Steen included bird cages. The late 18th cen. cage, left, has a marvelous water glass.


1560s  Peiter Aertsen.  Peasants by the hearth. WGA

c1565 Martin van Cleve. Kitchen interior.  Skokloster Castle

1646  Gerrit Dou. A Girl chopping onions. Royal Collection Trust. lovely cage 

1665  Jan Steen.  Parrot cage.  Rijksmuseum

1762  John S.C. Schaak.  A tavern interior.  Bonhams 2010 auction

c1790  Adriaan de Lelie.  Woman baking pancakes.   Rijksmuseum

General bird cages in the 1430s
Catherine of Cleves Book of Hours  (WGA - Web Gallery of Art)

Half-story of summer kitchen... for the birds

Approval was given in Baltimore to rebuild an out kitchen with a half story for birds.  Turns out the owner was a "bird fancier" and bird cage maker.

"Resolution authorizing Hermann Sehnick to rebuild a summer kitchen at number sixty-eight Park street.
Resolved by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That permission be, and the same is hereby, granted to Hermann Schuick to rebuild a summer kitchen, ten by twelve feet, at number sixty-eight Park street, with additional half-story to be used as a bird cage, provided the erection of said kitchen shall in no manner interfere with the rights of any citizen.
Approved April 24, 1871   Robert T. Banks, Mayor"

In the 1871 Baltimore city directory:   "Schueck Herman, bird fancier and cage mk’r, 68 Park"
 
©2018 Patricia Bixler Reber
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