Birdcatcher

This bronze figure depicts a peasant hunting birds at night. In his left hand, held above his head, he is holding a fowling lantern (the lamp is missing). In his right hand, he would have held a staff or a racket (now lost) with which to knock out the birds attracted by the light. One of the birds he has caught is hanging from his belt.

The tradition of creating genre figures originated in German and Flemish wood carvings, which were often used to complete Nativity scenes. This bird catcher group was originally modelled by Giambologna, a Flemish-born sculptor who later became the Medici Grand Dukes' court sculptor in Florence. He created three genre groups: the Bird-catcher, the Bagpiper (see V&A: A.59-1956), and a Peasant resting on a staff. The poetic quality of these pastoral scenes clearly appealed to collectors at the time.