Landscape with Birds
Vincenzo Bonomini · ca. 18th century
Fresco
Bergamo, Italy - Palazzo Morlacco De Bati
LDA · X · MMXXV
Source
Book · Il Neoclassicisimo nella Pittura Italiana di Angela Ottino Della Chiesa · Fratelli Fabbri Editori · 1967 · p. 58
Bonomini transforms a natural landscape into a theatrical gathering of exotic & local birds, arranged with the compositional balance of a classical frieze. The parrots perched above provide colour and hierarchy, while the herons and cranes below define the rhythm of the earth and water line. Each species is painted with anatomical correctness yet placed for symbolic harmony rather than zoological realism. In the 18th century, frescoes like this turned domestic interiors into imagined gardens, expressing both an interest in natural history and a desire for idyllic scenery. The scene reflects the Enlightenment belief that nature could be studied, catalogued & aesthetically arranged as an expression of cultural refinement.
Reposting welcome; please credit Libreria d’Arte - Studio Soli.
Detail
Parrots in the canopy - exotic species positioned high in the composition evoke rarity & prestige, transforming the forest canopy into a decorative crown.
Detail
Heron at the water’s edge - the long-legged bird anchors the horizon & creates visual continuity between land & shoreline, guiding the viewer’s eye across the fresco.
