Gallina Collection

Andalusian chickens, cock and hen, Gallus gallus domesticus. Bred by H. Leworthy. Cock won first prize at Barnstaple 1871 and hen first prize at Barnstaple 1872

Emblema XXX Sol indiget Luna ut gallus gallina
Emblema XXX: Sol indiget Luna, ut gallus gallina. Michaelis Majeri, Secretioris naturae secretorum scrutinium chymicum: per oculis et intellectui accurate accommodata

Native American widows approach their chief for permission to remarry, c1820-1839. Plate 57 from Le Costume Ancien et Moderne by Jules Ferrario

Captain Samuel Wallis being received by Queen Oberea on the Island of Tahiti, 1767 (19th century). Scene from Samuel Walliss voyage of circumnavigation in HMS Dolphin, undertaken from 1766-1768

Christopher Coumbus with Hernando Cortes receiving a native American girl as a gift, (c1820-1839). Plate 5 from Le Costume Ancien et Moderne, Volume I, by Jules Ferrario

The encounter between Hernando Cortes and Montezuma II, Mexico, 1519 (c1820-1839). Cortes (1485-1547) was the Spanish conquistador who conquered Mexico

George Washington, first President of the United States of America, (c1820). Artist
George Washington, first President of the United States of America, (c1820). After commanding the American Revolutionary army to victory over the British in the American War of Independence

SOUTH AFRICA: VILLAGE. A Khoikhoi village on the Gariep River in South Africa. Engraving by G. Gallina, c1815

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Amidst the rich tapestry of history, the humble gallina, or Andalusian chicken, holds a surprising and intriguing connection to various cultural narratives. In the 18th century, a young carrier, laden with a basket, captures the essence of this bird in a vivid oil painting, "Emblema XXX: Sol Indiget Luna ut Gallus Gallina" (The Sun Indwells the Moon as Much as the Gallus Gallina). Fast forward to the Native American tribes of the 19th century, where widows approached their chiefs for permission to remarry, often presenting a gallina as a symbol of new beginnings and prosperity. The exchange of these birds transcended borders as European explorers like Captain Samuel Wallis and Christopher Columbus encountered indigenous peoples, gifting them gallinas as tokens of peace and alliance. Meanwhile, in the New World, Hernando Cortes and Montezuma II engaged in a pivotal encounter, where the Aztec ruler presented the Spanish conquistador with a gallina as a sign of respect and goodwill. As the world continued to intertwine, the gallina became a universal symbol of unity, prosperity, and cultural exchange. In the annals of history, the first President of the United States, George Washington, is immortalized in art, standing proudly amongst other symbols of the burgeoning nation. In a lesser-known engraving from South Africa, a Khoikhoi village on the Gariep River showcases the gallina as an integral part of their daily life, further underscoring the global impact of this seemingly ordinary bird.