Pieter Bruegel the Elder. The Beekeepers and the Birdnester c.1568

Abstract

In this enigmatic disquieting scene, three hooded men wearing long sleeved, full-length smocks made from a heavy duty canvas-like material tied round the waist are collecting hives in the field. The cuffs of the sleeves are open and the hands are unprotected. They wear stockings on their legs and simple tie-up shoes. The face masks are made from basket-weave bottoms. The men’s stances suggest tension or an illicit activity; one of them is trying to open a hive, another is carrying the hive in his arms looking sideways, while a third man is walking towards him. On the right side, there’s a young man perched on the branch of a tree, he could either be a birdnester or one of the thieving beekeepers as the title suggests. In the background, there is a mill on the left and a hive under an awning on the right. It’s possible to distinguish a church tower on the right behind a thatched house or barn and a watermill in the mid-distance, which indicates the proximity of a settlement. The decapitated cone-shaped hives seem to be made of wicker with a lid in the lower and wider part. The hive under the awning is standing on a wooden base, keeping it clear of the ground. At the front, on the right side, there is a hive lying on the floor.

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