---
title: "Toad Snake Birds and Insects (2011), Chico da Silva by Babá, painting"
description: "Toad Snake Birds and Insects (2011), Chico da Silva by Babá. Acrylic on canvas, 80 x 120 cm. Painting in the João Cunha Collection."
canonical: https://chicodasilva.org/en/paintings/toad-snake-birds-and-insects-2011-042/
lang: en
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
translations:
  en: https://chicodasilva.org/en/paintings/toad-snake-birds-and-insects-2011-042/
  es: https://chicodasilva.org/es/pinturas/sapo-serpiente-aves-e-insectos-2011-042/
  fr: https://chicodasilva.org/fr/peintures/crapaud-serpent-oiseaux-et-insectes-2011-042/
  pt: https://chicodasilva.org/pt/pinturas/sapo-cobra-aves-e-insetos-2011-042/
  ar: https://chicodasilva.org/ar/%D9%84%D9%88%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AA/%D8%B6%D9%81%D8%AF%D8%B9-%D9%88%D8%A3%D9%81%D8%B9%D9%89-%D9%88%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%B1-%D9%88%D8%AD%D8%B4%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-2011-042/
  zh-Hans: https://chicodasilva.cn/%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81/%E8%9F%BE%E8%9C%8D-%E8%9B%87-%E9%B8%9F%E4%B8%8E%E6%98%86%E8%99%AB-2011-042/
---

# Toad Snake Birds and Insects

![A large dotted fish surrounded by shrimp, insects and sea creatures against an orange ground. Toad Snake Birds and Insects, Chico da Silva by Babá, 2011, acrylic on canvas.](https://img.chicodasilva.org/jcc-042/chico-da-silva-by-baba-toad-snake-birds-and-insects-2011-acrylic-on-canvas-80x120cm-joao-cunha-collection-jcc-042-chicodasilva.org-640.jpg)

[Download image](https://img.chicodasilva.org/jcc-042/chico-da-silva-by-baba-toad-snake-birds-and-insects-2011-acrylic-on-canvas-80x120cm-joao-cunha-collection-jcc-042-chicodasilva.org-3200.jpg)

Description for blind and low-vision visitors

A horizontal painting on a warm orange-ochre ground framed by dark green branching plants along the left and upper edges. At the center a large fish-like creature with a pale body speckled in fine multicolored dots curves through the scene, its open mouth and round eyes at the upper center. Surrounding it are many smaller creatures: a long-legged shrimp or lobster at the upper left, a smiling figure with a round face and many spindly limbs at the right, a crested bird-fish at the lower left, and assorted worms, shrimp and centipede-like forms scattered across the lower center and lower right. Below the central creature, layered green-gray mounds suggest reef or seabed, dotted with tiny anemone shapes. Fine handwritten text sits at the lower center.

- **Artist:** [Chico da Silva by Babá](https://chicodasilva.org/en/biography/)
- **Year:** 2011
- **Technique:** Acrylic on canvas
- **Support:** Canvas
- **Dimensions:** 80 x 120 cm
- **Motif:** [Birds](https://chicodasilva.org/en/motifs/birds/)[Snakes](https://chicodasilva.org/en/motifs/snakes/)[Insects](https://chicodasilva.org/en/motifs/insects/)
- **Collection:** [João Cunha Collection](https://chicodasilva.org/en/about/)
- **Signature:** CHICO DA SILVA / Por Baba, lower center
- **Photo:** Eric Keki
- **Inventory no.:** [JCC-042](https://chicodasilva.org/id/jcc-042)
- **Article:** [Babá, the First Disciple](https://chicodasilva.org/en/articles/baba-the-first-disciple/)

## The signature

![Detail of the painted signature: «CHICO DA SILVA / Por Baba»](https://img.chicodasilva.org/signatures/baba-signature-2011-jcc-042-chicodasilva.org-640.jpg)

*The canvas is signed “CHICO DA SILVA / Por Baba”, at the center of the lower edge.*

## Provenance

1.  The artist, Fortaleza, 2011
2.  Instituto Cultural Oboé, Fortaleza
3.  Leilão Montenegro, auction, 2025
4.  João Cunha Collection

## How to credit

[Photographs free to reuse, with credit (CC BY 4.0)](https://chicodasilva.org/en/about/#license)

Chico da Silva by Babá, “Toad Snake Birds and Insects” (2011). Photo: Eric Keki, João Cunha Collection, CC BY 4.0. https://chicodasilva.org/id/jcc-042

The license covers the photograph, not the painting.

## For IIIF viewers

-   [IIIF manifest](https://chicodasilva.org/iiif/jcc-042/manifest.json)