Carduelis carduelis en 'Het Puttertje'

A while ago, I saw a bird in my garden I never had seen.
Through my binoculars I could clearly see him, but he was gone when I wanted to grab my camera.
Beautiful red face, and bright yellow and black on his wings which he stretched for me to clearly see.
 It was a Carduelis Carduelis, Goldfinch, or in dutch: Putter of Distelvink.
I was so happy to see such a beautiful...bird I had never seen before!

Only I knew the bird from photo's and one time  I saw a painting in the Museum het Mauritshuis.


The painting had made a deep impression on me at that time years ago.
It was the painting of 'Het Puttertje" by Carel Fabritius. 1654
To me a very sad painting of an imprisoned bird tied by a chain at his little leg sitting on a little box.
At that time I felt so sad for the bird being imprisonned just for the fun.

When I saw the bird in my garden, I immediately remembered the painting.

Later I felt so happy that this bird in my garden was free!
not tied, no strings, but free to go wherever he wanted.