Wolf hunting
In the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance, the wolf was considered as a harmful animal. Associated with wars and epidemics, its presence was perceived as a real threat that disrupted pastoral and agricultural activities. The wolf is also considered as a creature of the Evil One. In this context, all means are good to destroy it. Charlemagne was the first to set up an official institution, the wolves' warden, intended to stop their spread.
This tapestry illustrates the violence that accompanies its hunt. Woven in the 16th century in Flanders, it depicts a rider and hunters on foot surrounding a wolf caught in a net. The hunters kill the animal with their stakes. One of the dogs - in the foreground - is wearing a jaque (a padded coat designed to protect him from the animal's bites).
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