Reynard with His Prey - O. Roth

A detailed wood engraving from 1867 depicting a fox with its prey, based on an original drawing by C. F. Deiker.

This wood engraving, titled 'Reynard with His Prey', depicts a fox, known in folklore as Reynard, standing over a captured duck in a wintry setting. The work is based on an original drawing by C. F. Deiker, dated 1867, and executed by the engraver O. Roth. The composition captures a moment of predatory stillness, with the fox positioned near the base of a gnarled tree, its fur rendered with precise, directional hatching that conveys texture and volume. The duck, limp and defeated, contrasts with the alert posture of the fox.

The background features a sparse, frozen environment, with reeds and a distant bird suggesting a marshy habitat. The engraver employs varied line weights to distinguish between the soft fur of the animal, the smooth feathers of the waterfowl, and the rough bark of the tree. The use of cross-hatching creates deep shadows, providing a sense of three-dimensional form despite the monochromatic medium. This piece belongs to the nineteenth-century tradition of animalier art, which often focused on the anatomical accuracy and natural behaviour of wildlife. The inclusion of the German title 'Reineke mit seiner Beute' at the base confirms the cultural context of the work, referencing the popular European fables of Reynard the Fox. The technical execution reflects the high standards of mid-Victorian printmaking, where wood engraving served as a primary method for reproducing detailed illustrations for books and periodicals. The print offers a clear view into the aesthetic preferences of the period, favouring narrative clarity and technical precision in the depiction of the natural world.