Reinecke Und Grimbart Der Dachs Auf Der Pilgerreise Betrachten Einen Gut Ernährten Hahn, Den Reinecke Zu Fressen Versucht Ii 1920

Lovis Corinth created this image, "Reinecke Und Grimbart Der Dachs Auf Der Pilgerreise Betrachten Einen Gut Ernährten Hahn, Den Reinecke Zu Fressen Versucht Ii", using lithography, and it depicts a scene of Reinecke, a fox, attempting to capture a well-fed rooster while on a pilgrimage with Grimbart, a badger. Pilgrimages, traditionally spiritual journeys, here are subverted by the primal instinct of the fox, embodying the tension between civilized intention and base desire. This echoes motifs found in medieval bestiaries, where animals symbolized human traits, and the fox often represented cunning and deceit. Consider how the rooster, historically a symbol of vigilance and resurrection, is reduced to mere prey. The image evokes a deep-seated unease, touching on the subconscious struggle between our higher aspirations and darker impulses. Corinth masterfully uses this narrative to engage viewers on a visceral level. This is a visual echo of the cyclical struggle between instinct and intellect that continues to resurface throughout history.