Gevecht tussen twee wildemannen 1500 - 1600

Erhard Schön’s “Fight Between Two Wildmen,” from the early 16th century, is rendered in pen and ink, with watercolor washes. It shows a mythical brawl, complete with horned figures and crude weaponry. The earthy materials give the image a sense of immediacy, while the artist’s technique imbues it with social and cultural significance. Schön was a prolific designer of woodcuts, a distinctly democratic medium in its time. The relative ease and affordability of printing allowed for the wide dissemination of images and ideas. Here, Schön’s skilled hand is evident in the confident linework. The hatching that defines the figures’ musculature also speaks to his graphic sensibility. Yet these wildmen are also figures of folklore, emblems of primal life outside the bounds of civilization. Schön’s combination of refined technique and popular subject matter reflects a culture grappling with rapid change. This image, so rough and refined at once, reminds us of the complex relationship between artistic skill, social context, and the stories we tell ourselves.