Wolvenjacht 1625 - 1633

Curator: Look at this energetic scene! This is Pieter Serwouters' "Wolvenjacht," dating from 1625 to 1633. It's an engraving, capturing a wolf hunt, and you can find it here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Wow, what a scrum! My first thought is pure chaos, beautifully rendered chaos, but still… chaotic. Everyone is sort of tumbling together—hunters, dogs, the wolf, all in a desperate tangle. What's your take? Curator: I think that tension is exactly the point. We see a combination of high and low social classes participating. Genre scenes like this served to communicate values – or perhaps critique them - showing societal interactions. Editor: Critique indeed! The expressions on those faces—that fellow with the pitchfork looks positively unhinged, doesn't he? It's almost theatrical. And the figure beside him…are they covering their ears from the chaos? What statement does that choice add to the artwork in your mind? Curator: It heightens the overall intensity of the hunting experience but moreover the fact it's theatrical is important: Baroque style is characterised by drama. Look at how the figures are arranged - everyone is on a diagonal, emphasising the energy of the hunt and really draws you in. Editor: Absolutely. And beyond the energy, the skill in capturing so much detail in an engraving... It is rather fascinating isn’t it, that idea of using this very precise medium to portray such wild activity! Curator: Yes, a skilled piece but it's not just the precision, it’s how the printmaking allowed such scenes to become accessible to a wider audience beyond the aristocratic patrons of paintings. Serwouters here makes art democratic, depicting a key social activity of the time. Editor: Democratizing art through wolf hunts—what a concept! Thanks, that shifted how I see it completely. It went from chaotic tangle to a socio-political statement, almost in the blink of an eye. Curator: And I feel enriched thinking about the tension between its minute details and the broader story, the sheer emotional dynamism... the piece really gives me something new to reflect on.