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Which European artists included African gray parrots in their paintings?
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African gray parrot
African gray parrot (Psittacus erithacus).
Several European artists featured African gray parrots in their works during the 17th century, reflecting the species' growing presence in Europe as trade relationships with western Africa developed.1
Notable artists who included African gray parrots in their paintings include:
- Peter Paul Rubens (1629/30)1
- Jan Davidsz de Heem (c. 1640–50)1
- Jan Steen (1663–65)1
While other artists, such as Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, also painted women with parrots during the 18th century, these works often featured macaws rather than African gray parrots, serving as symbols of exoticism and decadent lifestyles.2