Wednesday 9 April 2014

Poor Thing

At a quarter to eight this morning, I could be found in a field about 20 miles from home, squinting in the low sunlight, trying to decipher the signature on an old, framed, sketch. I was at a car-boot sale and the christian name on the piece in question appeared to be Paul or Porl or Pooh..., while the surname could've been Thys or This or even Thirsty! Regardless of the artist, I was completely taken by the delightful sketch of a Blue Tit in flight.


'I don't know if that's a comment on the bird or the drawing', came a voice over my shoulder. It was the stallholder. I looked at him, puzzled. He looked back at me and, noting my confused expression, gestured at the squiggle I'd been trying to make out. I looked back at the sketch. Of course...how stupid I'd been. The Blue Tit wasn't in flight, it was dead. The unknown artist presumably recorded the bird where it fell, as the work appears to be on the back of a sheet of headed or watermarked notepaper. After completion, at the bottom right hand corner, instead of signing the lovely little piece of art, he or she was then moved to leave a personal comment. Poor thing.

6 comments:

Erik Bartlam said...

Either way...it's a lovely little piece.

It is a little creepy to think that the rigid state of the bird probably made it easier to render.

Anonymous said...

What a lovely, if rather sad, find. Pretty bizarre concept, really. You must have some fine boot sales over your way.

C said...

Ah, poor thing indeed. It's a beautiful little painting though (wonder who the artist is?) and, as Erik says, has made best opportunity to really capture the detail - so difficult when they're moving about! I've found so many dead creatures in my time and I did use the chance to sketch a couple of them I must admit - a tiny harvest-mouse and a dragonfly - before burying them!

Old Pa's Corner said...

Did you buy the painting and how much if you did....I like the idea of theses boot sales...we hqve some at local pubs here but it is just tat...nothing as exciting as paintings of dead birds

The Swede said...

Thanks all. Oh yes, I bought it....for £1. Ridiculous really. Everything the guy had was £1! Perhaps he didn't take any change with him to the car-boot. I wish I knew the history of the piece.

Old Pa's Corner said...

It was'nt called 'pound stall' by any chance

Greatest Hits