The Bird Cage Fish Bowl

Currently at the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum in New York, there is an exhibition of works from the permanent collection curated by the Nigerian/British artist Yinka Shonibare. We are particularly enamored of the above item:
Birdcage with fishbowl, Netherlands, early 19th century, Wood, glass, gilded brass, metal wire. The square birdcage serves as the base for a spherical, double-walled, blown-glass fishbowl. The roof of the wooden box is retractable, creating an opening into the inverted inner glass bowl. Ostensibly, the bird could fly up into this globe and appear to be swimming with the fish. The birdcage, made of mahogany, features wire details on the windows. The fishbowl is decorated with a polychrome enameled landscape scene of a castle-like building atop a rocky island, with boats and sailing ships at sea. One ship is flying a red, white, and blue Dutch flag.
[acknowledgements to Allie]
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