Qu'on dise encore que la chasse... 1864

Here, Honoré Daumier captures a hunting scene with charcoal and ink, a study of man's primal engagement with the natural world. Note how the human figure grapples fiercely with his prey, almost animalistic himself. This wrestling motif echoes the ancient Greek depictions of combat, yet here it descends into satire. The hunt, a symbol of nobility and prowess, becomes a farcical struggle. Recall, too, the frenzied dances of the Bacchantes, where ecstasy blurs the line between human and beast. The hunting dogs, eager participants in the chase, mirror the ancient depictions of Actaeon's demise, torn apart by his hounds—a fate often linked to transgression. The hat rolling away on the ground suggests the loss of control, the abandonment of societal norms, replaced by a raw, instinctual drive. This is a visceral image, one that plunges into the subconscious, revealing the enduring power of primal instincts. We are reminded that civilization is but a thin veneer over the wild within.