The Goldfinch (painting)

Uncommon card · No. 114934

The Goldfinch (Dutch: Het puttertje) is an oil painting by Carel Fabritius, a Dutch Golden Age artist, of a life-sized chained European goldfinch. Signed and dated 1654, it has been in the collection of the Mauritshuis in The Hague, Netherlands since 1896. The work is a trompe-l'œil oil on panel measuring 33.5 by 22.8 centimetres (13.2 in × 9.0 in) that was once part of a larger structure, perhaps a window jamb or a protective cover. It is possible that the painting was in its creator's workshop in Delft at the time of the gunpowder explosion that killed him and destroyed much of the city. A common and colourful bird with a pleasing song, the goldfinch was a popular pet, and could be taught simple tricks including lifting a thimble-sized bucket of water. It was reputedly a bringer of good health, and was used in Italian Renaissance painting as a symbol of Christian redemption and the Passion of Jesus. The Goldfinch is unusual for the Dutch Golden Age painting period in the simplicity of...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Carel Fabritius, Public domain