The Wolf and the Crane
1650
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1650
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This etching shows a wolf standing on its hind legs near a tree, holding a long stick with a crane tied to it. The crane is dangling upside down, its neck twisted. Around them, bushes and rocks fill the scene, with a distant landscape of buildings and hills in the background. The crane’s helpless pose suggests it’s trapped—this isn’t just a hunt, but a lesson. The artist used fine lines to show texture, like the wolf’s fur or the crane’s feathers. Next, check out how this was made: technique: etching.
