Le Loup d’Aggubio 1877

Luc-Olivier Merson painted this artwork depicting the Wolf of Gubbio. The image revives the tale from the Fioretti di San Francesco, a collection of legends about St. Francis of Assisi, with its depiction of the saint taming a ravenous wolf. The wolf, once a symbol of danger, transforms into a guardian, echoing similar motifs of powerful, untamed animals becoming symbols of protection and loyalty throughout history. Think, for instance, of the lion in heraldry or the protective dogs in ancient myths. These symbols reflect a deep-seated human desire to reconcile the wild and the domestic, the fearsome and the familiar. Consider, too, how the transformation of the wolf speaks to our collective memory of nature's duality. Subconsciously, we grapple with the raw power of the natural world, seeking to harness and understand it. The image taps into this primal tension. It is a cycle, this dance between fear and reverence, danger and security, echoing through time.