Hunting Young Black Grouse
1888
- Period Late 19th century
- CategoryGenre Painting
Himself an avid hunter, Kivshenko turned to this subject more frequently from the early 1880s. It all but became the basis of his creative work and led to his receiving the title of academician (for the paintings The Kennel Yard, Pursuit of the Fox and Gathering of the Hounds). In this picture, black grouse are being hunted. The method used to hunt black grouse varied depending on the time of year. In spring they were hunted on their mating grounds, in autumn they were lured by decoys, in the winter snows they were shot from holes or bunkers as they tried to get out from beneath the snow. In the summer (late July August) the black grouse brood was raised with the help of dogs: the set of the gun dog (here a Scottish setter) shows the hunter where the frightened game is, so that he can point his gun in readiness for when it attempts to fly off. Play and Passion in Russian Fine Art. St-Petersburg. 1999. P. 294.