The falconry

In the present lot three different sorts of hunting techniques can be distinguished: the hunt with falcons, the hunt with greyhounds and the hunt with rifles. The presence of a net in the lower left corner of the composition even refers to a fourth hunting method, that traditionally has been associated with eroticism. The daily spoils are displayed in the foreground and consist of a pheasant and a herron. The pheasant is a bird species that originates from Asia and was most probably imported via the Silkroute. The gentleman handing the lady a glas of wine is wearing a typical falconer's satchel around his belt. The lady in question has a small Kooiker dog sitting on her lap; a symbol for marital fidelity. In the background, a couple appears on horseback with greyhounds running alongside them. Greyhounds have appeared on portraits ever since the seventeenth century. As hunting permits were reserved for the very few, greyhounds underline the social status of the portrayed. In the lower right corner of the picture, two falconers are seen tending to peregrine falcons. With a small straw, the left falconer is grooming a bird's feathers. Three hooded birds are portrayed sitting on a wooden rack. also called a cagie. The hoods, Dutch hoods to be specific, are used to keep the birds at ease while being transported or during their rest. The bells attached to their feet by leather straps help the falconer locate them during the hunt.