Illustration til O. Specter, "Fabler for Børn" 1838

This is Vilhelm Kyhn’s illustration for O. Specter’s "Fables for Children." Kyhn made this illustration sometime in the 19th century, using etching, a printmaking technique that dates back to the Middle Ages. Kyhn was a landscape painter, and yet here we see a fable. In many ways, this small etching epitomizes the cultural currents of 19th century Europe. On the one hand, we have a renewed interest in regionalism and folk tales, on the other hand, a scientific interest in the natural world. Fables often use animals to explore human morality. Here the image appears to depict a wolf, caged for his inherent dangerousness, while a group of men lurk nearby with weapons. This image touches on humanity’s complex relationship with the natural world. Are the men protecting their community, or cruelly imprisoning a fellow creature? What does it mean to contain the wild? What does it mean to be civilized? Kyhn urges us to consider these difficult questions.