Jacht op het Caledonische zwijn 1683 - 1710

Bernard Picart created this engraving, Jacht op het Caledonische zwijn, or Hunt for the Calydonian Boar, sometime between 1696 and 1733. Here, the artist depicts a scene from classical mythology, one that would have been very familiar to his Dutch audience. The image shows a group of male heroes gathered around the huntress Atalanta as they pursue a monstrous boar sent to wreak havoc on the kingdom of Calydon. Note how Picart, working during the Dutch Golden Age, a period of relative peace and prosperity in the Netherlands, emphasizes the more civilized aspects of the story. Though the hunt is violent, the hunters are presented as noble and courageous, embodying the values of a prosperous and stable society. To fully understand Picart’s work, we can consult not only classical texts, but also contemporary sources such as emblem books and festival books, which reflect the ways in which classical stories were used to convey social and political messages. By studying these sources, we can gain a deeper appreciation of the role of art in shaping and reflecting the values of its time.