Histoire du petit Chaperon Rouge / Historie van Roodkapje 1827 - 1894

This 19th-century print by M. Hemeleers-van Houter depicts the tale of Little Red Riding Hood through a series of vignettes. Notice the titular red hood, a symbol that transcends mere apparel. It speaks to a journey, not just through the woods, but into the unknown territories of adolescence and confrontation with primal desires. The wolf, cloaked in deceptive charm, is a universal symbol of danger and temptation. In ancient Rome, the wolf was associated with both Mars, the god of war, and the she-wolf who nursed Romulus and Remus, embodying both destruction and nurturing. This duality persists; the wolf, like the wilderness itself, represents the untamed aspects of human nature. Observe the climactic scene where the wolf lies in wait, a grotesque parody of domesticity. The bed, typically a symbol of rest and comfort, becomes a stage for terror. This transformation highlights the story's exploration of innocence confronted by raw, predatory instinct, echoing our deepest fears of vulnerability and betrayal. The narrative of Little Red Riding Hood, like the symbols within, lives on, continually reshaped by our collective psyche.