The animals in Melissa Miller’s paintings are consumed by a central drama that is intended to reveal the deepest human desires and fears. Aesop’s Crow is rendered in a tight, realistic style that is reminiscent of Dutch still life painting. This highly visual and seemingly aggressive scene is based on the Aesop’s fable “The Vain Jackdaw.” In this story, the god Jupiter announces to the birds that the most beautiful of them will be named king of the species. In order to increase his chances of being chosen, the jackdaw (a member of the crow family) hides his rough plumage by covering himself in the feathers of other birds. His ruse, however, is detected, and he is exposed, exemplifying the moral: “It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds.”

Label from Menagerie: Animals on View, March 11–June 4, 2017