Wild Man Holding a Shield with a Hare and a Shield with a Moor's Head 1470 - 1491

Curator: Here we have Martin Schongauer's engraving, "Wild Man Holding a Shield with a Hare and a Shield with a Moor's Head," created sometime between 1470 and 1491. What strikes you initially? Editor: There's a strange sense of order here, despite the wildness of the figure at the center. The perfect circle containing all the elements provides an unexpectedly serene containment. Curator: Indeed. Schongauer’s technique emphasizes line and form. The figure's hairiness is meticulously rendered, look closely at the consistent and contrasting engraving of those delicate lines that comprise the shaggy, raw man. This meticulous detail draws us to the inherent visual dichotomies within this symbol: savage vs. civilized, human vs. bestial. Editor: It makes you wonder what cultural narratives Schongauer’s print participates in. “Wild men” are recurrent characters, right? They can be found in different iterations of morality plays or festivals across medieval Europe. What did they mean in the context of 15th century society? Curator: Precisely! The shields themselves provide further context. A hare often symbolized vulnerability, but a "moor's head" used heraldically signified power—especially as some families and kingdoms expanded due to imperial ventures. Schongauer is working within and commenting on a very particular visual vocabulary here. Editor: So the wild man isn’t simply a barbarian but someone grappling with very loaded symbols of domination? A social commentary encapsulated in the language of the ruling class. Fascinating! I suppose his somewhat mournful gaze underscores that tension even further. Curator: One could certainly read it that way. Though it's dangerous to assign definitive meaning when cultural contexts are so removed in time, don’t you think? I wonder what contemporaries made of this symbol. Editor: Right, right...well, even as a contemporary viewer, I find Schongauer's precise articulation of symbolic tension powerfully resonant and thought-provoking. Curator: A testament to the artwork’s enduring capability to spark questions—even across centuries.