Histoire du petit chaperon rouge / historie van Roodkapje 1894 - 1959

This is an undated print by Gordinne, currently held in the Rijksmuseum, illustrating the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. The dominant symbol is, of course, the red cap itself, a beacon of innocence venturing into the dark forest. But consider the wolf, a figure that has haunted our collective unconscious since the dawn of storytelling. In ancient myths, the wolf is a guardian of the underworld, a creature of instinct and appetite. We see echoes of the wolf in the monstrous figures of classical mythology, in the Minotaur's labyrinth, in the shadowy corners of our own minds. The forest, too, is not merely a backdrop but a psychological space, a realm of hidden desires and lurking dangers. The narrative unfolds through the emotional cadence of fear and desire that engage us on a deep, subconscious level. Like the cyclical nature of myths themselves, the wolf, the forest, and the red cap reappear, transformed yet familiar, reminding us that the stories we tell are not just entertainment, but reflections of our deepest fears and desires.