De Caledonische jacht 1683 - 1733

Bernard Picart crafted this print, "The Calydonian Hunt," capturing a moment steeped in Greek mythology. A group of hunters on horseback, dogs in tow, are setting out to hunt a monstrous boar. The boar itself symbolizes untamed nature and divine wrath, sent by the goddess Diana to punish King Oeneus. This motif of the divine beast is not isolated; think of the Erymanthian Boar, one of Hercules' labors, or the wild boar that gores Adonis, each echoing themes of human hubris and the power of the natural world. Notice how the posture of the hunters and the tension in the animals convey the intensity of the hunt. The figures remind me of those found in ancient Roman friezes, a continuous narrative of action. The boar, as an embodiment of chaos, reflects our own internal struggles with instinct, fear, and aggression, recurring through the ages. The image is less about a hunt, and more about how we confront primal forces.