Macaires kamp med hunden 1839

Curator: This compelling woodcut, crafted in 1839 by Axel Theodor Kittendorff, is titled "Macaires kamp med hunden," which translates to "Macaire's fight with the dog." It's part of the collection at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Editor: The image evokes a chaotic energy; the crosshatching creating dense shadows. Is that a barrel on the ground, and a king and his court in the background? Curator: Indeed. It portrays a trial by combat. It captures the medieval legend of Macaire, accused of murder. Justice was sought by pitting Macaire against the victim’s dog, believed capable of identifying the guilty. A sanctioned dog fight to prove innocence, you might say. Editor: The dog lunging at Macaire—there’s a sense of raw instinct. And yet, isn’t it peculiar that a dog could represent truth, especially when the power dynamic in an arena like that is clearly in the man's favor? Curator: Absolutely. Such trials were performative rituals sanctioned by the church and state to reinforce social order and divine justice. But consider the image itself: the artist has strategically depicted the man with his back towards the audience while his posture suggest imminent attack. This makes Macaire as monstrous in the audiences’ eyes as the poor dog thinks he is, if not more so. Editor: Yes, it presents a fascinating reversal. It almost reminds me of the symbolic inversion of morality plays, using animal imagery to comment on human corruption. The use of animals goes back centuries as symbols in literature. It seems almost self-incriminating, and it calls to mind the entire problematic of legal processes at the time and their inherent injustice. Curator: The print’s power also rests in its accessibility. As a print, it democratizes the visual narrative of power, accessible to wider audiences beyond the elite circles who commissioned paintings. Editor: This is fascinating; to bring social commentary through the narrative of animal symbolism and questioning accepted systems... It makes the themes ever more resonant, even today. Curator: Quite so. Kittendorff's woodcut compels us to confront historical modes of power. Editor: It's given me quite a new perspective, thank you.