Jar in the form of a bird

R. W. Martin and Brothers British

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 516

After Charles Darwin’s 1859 book On the Origin of Species introduced scientific theories of evolution to the popular imagination, the idea that humans and animals shared common ancestry provoked fascination and horror. Modeled by Robert Wallace Martin, this winged creature appears uncannily human. Its detachable head can be manipulated to change the bird’s look from charming to menacing.

#420. The Bust of Mary Shelley and the Martin Brothers Bird Jar

0:00
0:00
View Transcript
Jar in the form of a bird, R. W. Martin and Brothers (British, 1873–1915), Glazed stoneware with wood mount, British, Southall, London

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

Jar in the form of a bird, R. W. Martin and Brothers (British, 1873–1915), Glazed stoneware with wood mount, British, Southall, London
Jar in the form of a bird, R. W. Martin and Brothers (British, 1873–1915), Glazed stoneware with wood mount, British, Southall, London
Jar in the form of a bird, R. W. Martin and Brothers (British, 1873–1915), Glazed stoneware with wood mount, British, Southall, London

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.