The Badger Hurries to Warn Renard of the Lion's Intention from Hendrick van Alcmar's Renard The Fox 1650 - 1675

This is a plate made by Allart van Everdingen, titled 'The Badger Hurries to Warn Renard of the Lion's Intention'. It is part of Hendrick van Alcmar's 'Renard The Fox'. Here, the characters of this fable are shown in anthropomorphic fashion, where animals are portrayed with human characteristics. The fox, as a symbol, carries echoes from ancient times through the medieval ages. The fox often embodies cunning and deception, embodying traits that reflect a deep human fascination with the darker aspects of our own nature. Consider the medieval bestiaries, where animals were assigned moral qualities, or Aesop's fables. The narratives in these fables serve as mirrors, reflecting human behaviours and societal norms, encapsulating fundamental aspects of human psychology. These echoes remind us of the cyclical nature of symbols and their non-linear progression through our collective consciousness. These animal figures evolve, adapt, and resurface, constantly reflecting back the complexities of human nature.