Fotoreproductie van een schilderij van vijf personen in een slee getrokken door een paard die worden aangevallen door wolven, door P. J. Carpey before 1881

This photogravure by Charles Claesen captures a dramatic scene: a horse-drawn sleigh besieged by wolves in a snowy landscape. The image is dominated by the primal struggle of humans against wild nature. The wolves, symbols of untamed aggression, contrast sharply with the vulnerability of the humans. This motif—humans in desperate conflict with wild animals—resonates across millennia. One can trace its origins to ancient myths. Consider, for instance, the fearsome beasts of the wilderness that threaten early heroes, tests of courage and survival. The image taps into a deep-seated psychological fear: the vulnerability of civilization against the forces of nature. The attack symbolizes the chaos that lies just beyond the edges of the known world. It speaks to our collective memory of a time when survival was a daily battle, and such images resurface throughout history, each time colored by the anxieties and cultural values of its age. The enduring appeal lies in its raw emotional power, a visceral reminder of our own mortality.