Two Macaws, a Cockatoo and a Jay, with Fruit

The painter left his native town at a young age, first for Vienna and then for Amsterdam where sources mention him in 1684. He might have pursued his studies there. At any rate, the centre of middle-class genres, especially still lifes, was perfect school for a starting artist. At first he painted flower and fruit pieces, which proved to be a lifelong experience: the effect of the Dutch example remained discernible in this group of his works throughout his life. Bogdany moved to London in 1688, and his technical expertise soon earned him fame amoung the English aristocrats. His most important clients were the royal family themselves. As a sign of his artistic and social recognition, ha was granted citizenship in 1700 and purchased an estate near London. He began to paint compositions of animals, mainly exotic birds, to be placed above doors or mantlepieces; most of these pictures can still be found in their original places in rural private collections. These paintings by Bogdány are actually elegant parks and classic buildings. He could study and accurately depict the colorful rare birds int he Windsor Park aviary of one of his main clients, Admiral George Churchill.