Birds: The Goldfinch, Birds, Art, and Us

by Sir Simon Schama, Simon Schama

Genres: Art, Nature, Birds

176 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 12, 2026

Reviews

[Paulibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books on art should be pieces of art themselves, and the Dutch collaboration of Mauritshuis and Hannibal Books has surpassed this particular remit with Sir Simon Schama & Martine Gosselink's "Birds; The Goldfinch, Birds, Art and Us". Exquisitely presented in boards with indented main title and authors, the work showcases an exhibition at The Hague's art gallery Mauritshuis, due to finish in June 2026. Fabritius is the main attraction, of course. Tragedy surrounds the art, the book revealing the paint was hardly dry when a gunpowder blast killed the artist and many others. Recently this piece of art of a goldfinch tethered to a wall-mounted feeder has garnered much attention - particularly the amazing book ,"The Goldfinch", by Donna Tartt, and the brilliant film of the same name, directed deftly by John Crowley, based on Tartt's novel. In this landmark book, your eyes drink in this and the other outstanding individual works, accompanied by essays by the authors and others, eloquently blending art and literature and white space. The effortlessly readable combination benefits from extensive notes, references and odes to birds, primarily at the back of the book. After you have closed the final section of the Italian-printed book, reluctantly, you are left with the image on the rear panel matching Fabritius' back of the original goldfinch painting. Coupled with the front cover featuring the front of "The Goldfinch", you now have the complete package of art within art. NB: This book was purchased from Blackwells UK, who shipped it to New Zealand.