This pair of socks is inspired by exotic animals painted vividly by the Dutch painter Melchior d’Hondecoeter in the 17th century. Already in his own days his animal scenes were very popular and copied frequently by fellow-painters. Of course, no monkey or parrot lives for real in the Netherlands, not now, not than. For royals, it was however in fashion to have a private ‘menagery’ in the backyard, a collection of wild & unknown animals coming from remote places brought along with the merchant ships returning from their voyages of discovery. Not to serve as a public Zoo but merely a show-off how prosperous you are. Thus, d’Hondecoeter did have the opportunity to paint his cockatoo from the life, even though he would never set foot out of Holland.