There are 35 paintings by 20 different artists hanging on the walls of Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House. This large still life decorates the Dining Room. Two smaller works by the artist, William Bruce Ellis Ranken, are also on display in this room.

Though primarily a portraitist, Ranken painted in a variety of genres, including still life. The parrots’ feathers and the flowers’ petals combine to produce a colourful, exuberant composition. This combination of flora, fauna and fruit is reminiscent of the work of Jakob Bogdani (c.1660-1720), well represented in the Royal Collection. Here, the subject matter of Ranken’s composition is complemented by the tumbling flowers and fruits of the Dining Room’s ceiling painting (408569).