The Barn Owls of La Garenne

Barn owls have a special place with humans. This is probably due to their heart-shaped face, which makes them look somewhat human, but they are also cultural followers and live close to people in and around villages with agriculture. Because they hunt mice, they are prized by farmers, who often build owl holes in their buildings to allow the animals to nest under the roof. The dead mouse in the beak of a parent animal might make faint-hearted viewers of this great painting a little uneasy.