Birdcatcher with a little owl, plate 62 - Simon Guillain

A detailed seventeenth-century etching by Simon Guillain, depicting a birdcatcher with his decoy owl and equipment.

This etching by Simon Guillain, dated 1646, depicts a birdcatcher carrying his equipment. The figure is shown in profile, burdened by a large net and poles, with a small owl perched atop his load. The owl served as a decoy in traditional bird-catching methods, used to lure other birds into the nets. Guillain, a French sculptor and printmaker, produced this work as part of a series documenting the trades and street figures of seventeenth-century Paris.

The composition relies on clear, descriptive lines to define the textures of the man's clothing, the netting, and the wooden poles. Guillain employs cross-hatching to suggest volume and shadow, particularly within the folds of the fabric and the structure of the nets. The background remains minimal, focusing the viewer's attention on the subject and his tools. This approach reflects the interest of the period in recording the daily lives of common people, often referred to as 'cris de Paris'.

Guillain's technique demonstrates the precision expected of a trained sculptor working in the medium of etching. The lines are deliberate, capturing the weight of the equipment and the posture of the man as he moves through the scene. The inclusion of the number 62 in the lower corner identifies this as a specific plate from a larger collection. This print offers a glimpse into historical labour practices, presented with a direct and observational quality. It remains a valuable record of social history, documenting the attire and implements of a specific trade during the mid-seventeenth century in France.