Medieval badge - Mating of forest people
Netherlands, 1340-1350
Brass casting. Dimensions: 25 × 45 mm
This unusual and distinctly satirical badge depicts a scene of the mating of the forest people, mythical creatures that appeared extensively in the art and literature of medieval Europe. The figure of the 'wild man' (Lat. homo silvanus) was usually depicted as a man covered in fur or moss, often armed with a club, living outside civilisation and the rules of society.
While in heraldry - especially in the German area - the wild man was used as a symbol of strength and natural order, in fine art, especially in the engravings of Martin Schongauer and Albrecht Dürer, wild women and entire "wild families" also appear , often in erotic or mocking scenes.
Scenes such as this were primarily satirical, parodying human instincts, animalism and uncontrollable desire. In this case, the wild man is playing the bagpipes, which is no coincidence - the bagpipes were seen as an instrument of lust and sensuality in medieval symbolism. The combination of music, wildness and sexuality thus forms an ironic commentary on human weakness.
The badge is a typical example of secular medieval humour, which often boldly mocked society, the Church and human nature itself. It may have been an item worn for amusement, as part of festivals, carnivals or guild entertainments.
- Made in Ukraine by Armour and Castings
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