Two exotic birds

The bright orange paint Aert Schouman here used to render the plumage of this Andean cock-of-the-rock jumps off the paper. The artist was already praised for his intense paint colours in the 18th century. Particularly admired were his orange, red and peacock blue. Like many 17th and 18th-century artists, Schouman prepared his paints himself in his workshop from recipes handed down from master to pupil.