LA CHASSE AU FAUCON

FALCONRY (OR HAWKING), THE ART OF EMPLOYING FALCONS AND HAWKS IN THE CHASE, BECAME A FASHIONABLE SPORT IN NORTH AFRICA AT ROUGHLY THE SAME TIME THAT IT WAS VERY MUCH IN VOGUE IN EUROPE, ALTHOUGH IT IS RECORDED AS PRACTICED IN PARTS OF THE ORIENT POSSIBLY AS EARLY AS 2000 BC. THE HOOD IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN TRAINING THE BIRD AND FAMILIARISING HER WITH THE HANDLER (THE FEMALE BIRD IS ALWAYS USED AS IT IS STRONGER), BUT IT IS ALSO USED IN THE HUNT ITSELF; THE BIRD IS 'FLOWN OUT OF THE HOOD' AS SOON AS THE QUARRY IS SIGHTED (SEE LOTS 60 AND 61). ALTHOUGH IT WAS MORE USUAL FOR EASTERN FALCONERS TO WEAR THE GLOVE ON THEIR RIGHT HAND, ROUSSEAU HAS PORTRAYED HIS SUBJECTS USING THEIR LEFT HANDS, MOST PROBABLY FOR PURPOSES OF COMPOSITION. THE OBJECT OF THE HUNT IS A HERON, LARGER AND SLOWER THAN ITS PURSUERS BUT QUICKER TO RISE USING A CIRCULAR FLIGHT PATTERN. HENCE THE FALCON WOULD ASCEND IN LARGER CIRCLES THAN HER PREY BUT, BEING MORE POWERFUL, WOULD BE ABLE TO FLY FASTER, THUS GAINING THE UPPER AIR BEFORE PLUNGING DOWN FOR THE KILL.