Law and order in Ruben's 'Wolf and Fox Hunt.'

Since hunting was looked upon as a peacetime exercise for war, practiced by noblemen to maintain their readiness in event of hostilities, A Wolf and Fox Hunt reaffirms the justness of the nobility's privileges and the eminence of their estate. For it is in their hands that the security of the state resides. The nobility appear as the upholders of law and order, an obligation that they have fulfilled since ancient times, as the archaizing elements of their costume indicate, and that they continue to undertake in the present.

All the issues that have been considered - the picture's topicality, its allusions to the archdukes' hunting edicts and to the restoration of law and order under their aegis, its emphasis on the prerogatives of the nobility, on their role in restoring civil order, and on their readiness to defend the state - suggest that Rubens designed A Wolf and Fox Hunt for the archdukes. The picture could be said to publicize their political efforts, on the one hand, and, on the other, to fashion an image of society reflective of their views, according to which the nobility and not the commoners, as was the case in the Dutch Republic, dominated social, economic, and political life. This glorification of the old feudal order held great appeal for the archdukes, since it coincided with their desire to establish a kingdom in the Spanish Netherlands.(111) As we noted earlier, the archdukes had supported genealogical research to investigate their Netherlandish and Burgundian ancestry; the probable purpose of these investigations was to lend legitimacy to their reign.(112)

Although apparently designed for the archdukes, A Wolf and Fox Hunt became the property of Philippe-Charles d'Arenberg. D'Arenberg's acquisition of the painting in February 1617 coincided with two important events in his life. In the previous year, he had been named duke of Aarschot, and in 1617 he was made a knight of the Golden Fleece, an order open only to the highest nobles of the land. Thus, when the duke installed the picture in his residence, these new honors contextualized its reading. Indeed, in the setting of his palace, A Wolf and Fox Hunt resonated with the duke's glory, helping to construct both his public and his private persona. One can well imagine that Aarschot saw himself in the person of the golden-spurred knight, a handsome figure embodying the virtues of his privileged class; doubtless his visitors identified him as well with this knight. Yet, though A Wolf and Fox Hunt speaks to Aarschot's particular circumstances, the picture still maintains its association with the archdukes, not least because of its physical proximity to the court. The duke's palace faced the courtyard entrance of the archdukes' palace, a unique location enjoyed by no other noble [ILLUSTRATION FOR FIGURE 36 OMITTED]. This site conferred great prestige and honor on Aarschot's residence, making it a satellite of the archdukes' court.

During the course of the duke's ownership of A Wolf and Fox Hunt the picture became more pointedly autobiographical as events inflected the reading of the work. In 1626, for instance, Aarschot was appointed Grand Hunstman of Namur, while in the following year the dignities of Grand Falconer of the Netherlands and Grand Huntsman of Flanders were bestowed on him, in essence making him the premier hunter in the Spanish Netherlands. In addition to adding further lustre to an already distinguished career, these dignities brought the duke considerable new authority and financial gain. To a visitor studying A Wolf and Fox Hunt, the association of the duke's new offices with the figure of the principal huntsmen must have been inescapable, giving the picture additional significance.