LOT DETAILS

Materials:

oil on copper

Measurements:

5.20 in. (13.20 cm.) (height) by 6.61 in. (16.80 cm.) (width)

Condition:

framed

Provenance:

sale, Sotheby’s, London, 7 July 2004, lot 1;, where bought by the present owner, In the present painting, a large and lively group of people are crowded around a maypole, looking on as a figure points a bow and arrow up at the pole, taking aim at the popinjay, or parrot. This historic practice of ‘shooting at the popinjay’ was popular in Flanders at the time and spectators would take turns to try and bring the popinjay down, with the successful marksman receiving a prize. In the present painting, the shooting at the popinjay appears to be part of a wider village feast as in the background we can see another maypole with figures dancing around it, suggesting that the village feast is celebrating May Day and the arrival of summer and renewal of nature after winter