Hunting (Carracci)

The Hunting scene is a large oil painting created circa 1590 by Annibale Carracci. It, along with its pendant piece, Fishing (also by Annibale Carracci), are considered early masterpieces of the Bolognese School of painting and exemplify Carracci's break from Mannerism in favor of a more naturalistic and vibrant style. The painting depicts a lively hunting party in a lush landscape. Figures on horseback and on foot actively pursue various animals, including deer, boar, and birds. The painting is celebrated for its dynamic composition, its realistic portrayal of human and animal anatomy, and its use of color and light to create a sense of movement and energy. The painting currently resides in the Louvre Museum in Paris. It is important in the history of art as a formative work in the development of Baroque art, preceding the more dramatic and theatrical works of the High Baroque.