Feather Flowers

Decorating screens and creating pictures from feathers was a popular recreation from the last quarter of the eighteenth century onwards. Colourful feathers from peacocks, red macaws and canaries were especially popular and were sold by weight. Plain feathers were also dyed to order.

This unusual picture features a vase overflowing with colourful flowers and foliage all created using feathers set against a taupe silk backdrop. It is housed in a period giltwood frame with a beaded border and a pie crust edging.