Birdcages are often used as a motif symbolizing conflicting emotions such as freedom and confinement. Is it a bird inside, a person, or perhaps something else entirely? Depending on the perspective and the way it's portrayed, a birdcage can suggest many different themes and hidden stories.

Break free with this collection of illustrations featuring birdcages.

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Do you ever feel like a canary trapped in a cage? Birdcages aren’t just for birds; they’re often used in art to symbolize the things holding what’s dear to you captive, be it societal norms, the weight of others’ expectations, or even someone you love. As liberating as it feels to see an empty birdcage, you might find that there’s also a devastating beauty in seeing objects or people placed in birdcages, as you’ll soon see in the following illustrations.

Do any of these illustrations capture what you’re feeling or remind you of a past experience?

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