Winter Landscape with Ice-skaters and Bird-trap is a significant oil painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, created in 1565. It portrays a village scene during winter, where peasants are enjoying themselves while ice-skating on a frozen river. In the foreground, birds are seen around a trap while some wriggle to escape from it.
This painting depicts Bruegel’s old traditions of depicting everyday life and leisure of peasants in his paintings. The figures further highlight this concept as they seem unperturbed by the cold conditions and just enjoy themselves skating. The dark sky is an element of somberness in the painting accompanied by bright light-filled surroundings adding contrast to its subject.
Pieter Bruegel the Elder was one of those artists who maintained his focus on peasant scenes, landscapes through large paintings rather than on religious or mythological themes. Consequently, he established himself as a great painter who has inspired many painters with similar interests worldwide.
