When God made Adam, He gave him dominion over the earth. He was tasked to rule over it and take care of it. Then he fell. The land was no longer a site of perfected flourishing, but rather a place of sin and strife. Since then, humanity has struggled to tame the wild, developing vast tracks of land, and domesticating some creatures to serve their purposes. However, there is always a background struggle of nature fighting back. An example of this are wild animals terrorizing human settlements. Since ancient times hunters have fought and tracked the wild beasts for food or sport. However, their prey has not always gone down without a fight. This show is a collection demonstrating that there is an inherent clash between mankind’s domination, and the fierce defense of the beasts of the wild. This can be seen by the ferocious clash between the hunters and the hunted. This show invites the viewer to become wrapped up in the fight and imagine themselves participating in the hunts. These hunts span History from 1186 BCE to 1926 CE, and exemplifies that while civilizations change, the war between humanity and the untamed world continues. Can artwork of different periods accurately portray the ongoing battle? Perhaps this art show will provide you with the answer.
Artist Unknown, Artist's Sketch of Pharaoh Spearing a Lion, ca. 1186–1070 B.C.E., Limestone, Ink, 14 cm (5 1/2 in.), W. 12.5 cm (4 15/16 in.), Th. 1.5 cm (9/16 in.), 26.7.1453
This sketch was found in the valley of the Kings by Howard Carter. The depiction portrays an Egyptian Pharaoh spearing a lion with his faithful dog at his side. It is a clash between humanity, and the domesticated animal versus the undomesticated. While it was in the valley of the Kings, it was not part of of the royal tombs, but rather a trial sketch. While it is not clear why the artist drew this, his hopes can be seen. He hopes that the ruler of Egypt would be a strong protector of Egypt, and he chose to use this scene with the lion to portray this. Notice the snarl and attacking motion of the lion. Egypt was often Hierarchical, with things of less importance being depicted smaller. However if you look at this sketch, the lion is proportionate to the pharaoh showing the magnitude of the threat. The inscription on the sketch wishes health and prosperity to the pharaoh while, while hopes that all other lands be slaughtered. He wishes this by portraying the battle between man and beast, proposing that there can only be one way it ends. It ends with the slaughter of all beasts that oppose mankind’s dominance. So too will all his enemies be slaughtered.
Artist Unknown, Bowl with a Horseman Spearing a Serpent, late 1300s or early 1400s, Tin-glazed earthenware, Overall: 3 5/8 x diam. 17 5/16 in. (9.2 x diam. 44 cm), 41.100.173
This bowl has made in the Islamic city of Malaga, where they were known for depicting Islamic motifs or Western stories on their lusterware. This bowl in particular depicts St. George and the dragon. It clearly portrays the hero saving the maiden from the Dragon, saving her from certain death. It is a heroic story about how George’s honor and bravery triumphed over the bringer of death and chaos. He faced the dragon the true king of beasts. It is interesting to observe that he does it while riding a horse as it appears to directly clash with the dragon. Is is intriguing because there is a distinction between what Adam and his descendants still had maintained taking care of, versus what had become unbridled and antagonistic. St. George triumphs over the epitome of destruction and restores peace in the land.
Piero di Cosimo, A Hunting Scene, Ca. 1494-1500, Tempera and oil transferred to Masonite, 27 3/4 x 66 3/4 in. (70.5 x 169.5 cm), 75.7.2
A Hunting Scene is painting of chaos. There are satyrs clubbing animals, animals fighting each other, a man wrestling a bear, with many other strange depictions. The artist is known for his looking at the evolution of man through natural causes, and this depiction is part of what he thinks has shaped civilization. One obvious theme of the painting is the struggling of the animals against the men and satyrs. Throughout the piece you can see a man with a cloak of a lion skin, men hauling away dead animals, and the the dead body of a hunter. The has been violently killed with blood pouring out of his wounds. This shows how mad the world is, and how because of Adam’s fall, the harmony in the world was broken. It shows how confusing the battle between man and the wild can be, and and reflects the thoughts of the time period about it.
Marcantonio Raimondi, Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: The Lion Hunt, Ca. 1500-1534, Engraving, sheet: 10 1/4 x 16 in. (26.1 x 40.6 cm), mount: 14 15/16 x 16 3/4 in. (37.9 x 42.6 cm), 41.72(3.78)
The Romans were a people group that conquered most of world as they knew it. They spread their culture and art far and wide, and many of their buildings and accomplishments are admired to this day. The Renaissance and other time periods taught to make art like the Romans did, they often imitated the styles that were used at that time period. This engraving is an example of this. The artist depicts a lion hunt that features a vicious lion, and a company of upper class Romans. Even though they are upper class, they are hunting the lion, participating in a dangerous sport of kill or be killed. We can see this strife exemplified by the lady on the bottom being attacked by the two lions. Suddenly the hunter becomes the prey. This intense feeling of peril is what makes the hunt exciting, but can also lead hunters to their downfall. This feeling is not uncommon as viewers have had times that have seemed to go well, then to quickly turned to become horribly wrong. This was the high culture of the time period, which shows how inherent our need is to take dominion of the world. Rather than sticking to domesticated animals, the Romans needed to create sport of killing anything that would reject their wills.
Peter Paul Rubens, Wolf and Fox Hunt, Ca. 1616, Oil on Canvas , 96 5/8 x 148 1/8 in. (245.4 x 376.2 cm), 10.73
Snarling Wolves, Barking dogs, and pikemen thrusting their spears, only to have their spears bitten. This is a scene of destruction where different classes of people band together to face the violent wolves and foxes. Here we can see hunting parties participating in a hunt to conquer the beasts. This painting was painted by Rubens telling of the efforts of the Flemish nobility to terminate the scavenging wolves that had been plaguing the Flanders. This hunt is has a context of hunts that were needed because there was a war at that time. There were man bodies left in the fields, and the wolves had increased in number and feasted on the caucuses. The canvas portrays the dangerousness of the hunt, and shows the actual terror that can be felt by facing the hunted. It also shows how animals have become tools, as the dogs fight a similar species in obedience to their masters. The wolves and foxes are fighting for their lives, and Rubens accurately portrays how desperate the struggle is between civilization and the wild foragers.
Eugene Delacroix, Lion Hunt, 1855-56, Oil on Canvas, 22 7/16 × 29 1/8 in. (57 × 74 cm), National Museum, Stockholm
The Lion Hunt is a painting where the battle between beasts and men is clearly exemplified. Here we can see the lions taking on a group of hunters, having vanquished one, with two more in grave uncertainty whether they will live or die. This painting shows how the battle with these terrifying creatures is uncertain, and how the tables can turn. Viewers can observe that not only do the lion attack the hunters, but they also sink their teeth into the horses. They lash out at anything and everything to preserve their lives. This serves as a reminder how not only does mankind and the rampant beasts have enmity between them, but so does the beasts and the animas such as horses that assist humanity, and bend to its will.
Charles M. Russell, Meat for Wild Men, 1924, Bronze, 11 1/2 x 37 5/8 x 20 5/8 in. (29.2 x 95.6 x 52.4 cm, The Petrie Collection
Large bodies being squashed together, running in a group with terror in their eyes. Meat for Wild Men is a sculpture that forces the viewers to be enchanted by the Indian’s roundup of the bison. They jab their spears, and ride their horses to corral these giant beasts. There is a feeling of admiration of these “noble savages” who are successfully forcing their will on the unbroken bison. Although viewers can observe the churning earth beneath this spectacle, one can only imagine the expertise of these Indians as they encircle the bison to slaughter them. As this was made on the planes of Montana, dirt must have been swirling around these executioners as they gather the meat they need to survive the winter. This is yet another example of a culture exerting their dominance over nature, crashing the bison together so that they may be butchered for food. Rather than living in harmony with nature, they carve them up and use their meat and fur to survive.
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