The Goldfinch ^Sale

Carel Fabritius (1654)

A goldfinch sits on its feeder with a chain on its leg. Goldfinches were popular as pets, because you could teach them to draw water from a bowl with a miniature bucket. That's why they're called goldfinches. This is one of the few works by Fabritius that are known. He painted the goldfinch with clearly visible brushstrokes. He marked the wing with thick yellow paint, which he scratched with the back of his brush.