A Sparrowhawk
Dublin Core
Title
A Sparrowhawk
Description
Jacopo de’ Barbari was a Venetian painter, famous for having his own unique style. De’Barbari was a printmaker and even engraved wood to portray some of his pieces, which have been known to be highly influential [1]. He is probably most remembered for his View of Venice, a woodcut that represents a bird’s eye view of the city of Venice in which Barbari used creativity, intellect, and imagination to construct [2].
De’Barbari’s painting A Sparrowhawk represents an exquisite image of a tranquil bird sitting on a wooden bar in its home. A sparrowhawk is a bird of prey that was a major aspect of the world of gentlemen at that time. These birds were considered prized possessions in the home and were very well-trained for their owners [3]. De’Barbari incorporated lots of detail into this small canvas to describe the well-being and life of this bird. Using natural light, hyperrealism is created in the painting, which can be seen through the strong shadow casted by the sparrowhawk. Calculated and beautiful strokes of dark brown are used to detail the feathers of the sparrowhawk. The texture of the painting can be viewed as very soft to show the serene nature of the bird in the paiting. De’Barbari incorporates many elements to depict how this bird was a treasure in the house and would stay protected in the household. A small bell lies above the bird’s left foot to alert the handler to its whereabouts and the bird is attached to a bar, so it cannot fly away. Venetians valued these sparrowhawks because they represented the “hunt” as they were birds of prey, so they wanted them to stay in the house and protect the members of the household [3].
Interestingly, De’Barbari adds his own style to this painting by showing the bird in the moment [2]. The bird’s bright eye, painted with yellow color hues, is wide open, displaying that something has caught its attention. It shows how keenly alert this bird is to the world, another reason that it brings so much value. The sparrowhawk’s stature adds to the serious nature of the painting, where the bird has just witnessed some type of severe event. Just as something outside of the painting catches the bird’s attention, De’Barbari makes this painting catch the attention of all of its viewers with his exquisite detail.
[1] Blumberg, Naomi, “Jacopo De’ Barbari,” Encyclopedia Britannica, 2
[2] Baker, Henry, “Description of the View of Venice,” Getty Portal, 5
[3] Tikkanen, Amy, “Sparrowhawk Bird Facts: Accipiter Nisus.” Wildlife Guide, 1, 2
De’Barbari’s painting A Sparrowhawk represents an exquisite image of a tranquil bird sitting on a wooden bar in its home. A sparrowhawk is a bird of prey that was a major aspect of the world of gentlemen at that time. These birds were considered prized possessions in the home and were very well-trained for their owners [3]. De’Barbari incorporated lots of detail into this small canvas to describe the well-being and life of this bird. Using natural light, hyperrealism is created in the painting, which can be seen through the strong shadow casted by the sparrowhawk. Calculated and beautiful strokes of dark brown are used to detail the feathers of the sparrowhawk. The texture of the painting can be viewed as very soft to show the serene nature of the bird in the paiting. De’Barbari incorporates many elements to depict how this bird was a treasure in the house and would stay protected in the household. A small bell lies above the bird’s left foot to alert the handler to its whereabouts and the bird is attached to a bar, so it cannot fly away. Venetians valued these sparrowhawks because they represented the “hunt” as they were birds of prey, so they wanted them to stay in the house and protect the members of the household [3].
Interestingly, De’Barbari adds his own style to this painting by showing the bird in the moment [2]. The bird’s bright eye, painted with yellow color hues, is wide open, displaying that something has caught its attention. It shows how keenly alert this bird is to the world, another reason that it brings so much value. The sparrowhawk’s stature adds to the serious nature of the painting, where the bird has just witnessed some type of severe event. Just as something outside of the painting catches the bird’s attention, De’Barbari makes this painting catch the attention of all of its viewers with his exquisite detail.
[1] Blumberg, Naomi, “Jacopo De’ Barbari,” Encyclopedia Britannica, 2
[2] Baker, Henry, “Description of the View of Venice,” Getty Portal, 5
[3] Tikkanen, Amy, “Sparrowhawk Bird Facts: Accipiter Nisus.” Wildlife Guide, 1, 2
Creator
Jacopo de' Barbari
Source
Jacopo de' Barbari, active 1500; died 1516?. 1510s. A Sparrowhawk. Place: The National Gallery, London, Layard Bequest, 1916. Accessed October 5, 2020. https://library.artstor.org/asset/ANGLIG_10313768031.
Blumberg, Naomi. “Jacopo De' Barbari.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., January 1, 2020. Accessed October 5, 2020. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacopo-de-Barbari.
Barker, Henry. “Description of the View of Venice.” portal.getty.edu, 1820. Accessed October 5, 2020. http://portal.getty.edu/books/gri_9923113030001551.
Tikkanen, Amy. “Sparrowhawk Bird Facts: Accipiter Nisus.” The RSPB, 2017. Accessed October 5, 2020. https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/sparrowhawk/.
Millon, Alexandre, Jan Tøttrup Nielsen, Vincent Bretagnolle, and Anders Pape Møller. "Predator-Prey Relationships in a Changing Environment: The Case of the Sparrowhawk and Its Avian Prey Community in a Rural Area." Journal of Animal Ecology 78, no. 5 (2009): 1086-095. Accessed October 5, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40405844.
Blumberg, Naomi. “Jacopo De' Barbari.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., January 1, 2020. Accessed October 5, 2020. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacopo-de-Barbari.
Barker, Henry. “Description of the View of Venice.” portal.getty.edu, 1820. Accessed October 5, 2020. http://portal.getty.edu/books/gri_9923113030001551.
Tikkanen, Amy. “Sparrowhawk Bird Facts: Accipiter Nisus.” The RSPB, 2017. Accessed October 5, 2020. https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/sparrowhawk/.
Millon, Alexandre, Jan Tøttrup Nielsen, Vincent Bretagnolle, and Anders Pape Møller. "Predator-Prey Relationships in a Changing Environment: The Case of the Sparrowhawk and Its Avian Prey Community in a Rural Area." Journal of Animal Ecology 78, no. 5 (2009): 1086-095. Accessed October 5, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40405844.
Publisher
Image Source:
Jacopo de' Barbari, active 1500; died 1516?. 1510s. A Sparrowhawk. Place: The National Gallery, London, Layard Bequest, 1916. https://library.artstor.org/asset/ANGLIG_10313768031.
Jacopo de' Barbari, active 1500; died 1516?. 1510s. A Sparrowhawk. Place: The National Gallery, London, Layard Bequest, 1916. https://library.artstor.org/asset/ANGLIG_10313768031.
Date
1510s
Contributor
Raj Kumar
Rights
Photograph: ©The National Gallery, London
National Gallery Picture Library, The National Gallery Company, St. Vincent House, 30 Orange Street, London WC2H; Tel No: 02077475996
Use of this image is in accordance with the Artstor Terms & Conditions
National Gallery Picture Library, The National Gallery Company, St. Vincent House, 30 Orange Street, London WC2H; Tel No: 02077475996
Use of this image is in accordance with the Artstor Terms & Conditions
Format
Oil on Oak, 17.8 cm x 10.8 cm
Type
Painting
Coverage
The National Gallery (Layard Bequest 1916), London, England
Citation
Jacopo de' Barbari, “A Sparrowhawk,” ARTHIST 89S - Visual Culture of Venice - Fall 2020, accessed October 22, 2026, https://venice.dahvc.org/fall-2020/items/show/96.