This richly detailed anthropomorphic engraving depicts a pivotal scene from the medieval allegorical tale Reynard the Fox. Seated on a throne draped in regal cloth, a lion king and queen, symbolizing sovereign authority, preside over the trial of the cunning fox Reynard, who stands deferentially with cap in hand. Reynard’s tales, originating in 12th-century Europe, center on a clever and morally ambiguous fox who outwits both enemies and rulers alike. The fable critiques corruption, vanity, and hypocrisy in feudal society—qualities symbolized here by the bemused and majestic lion, a ruler struggling to maintain justice amid deceit. The engraving’s theatrical composition, with its richly draped interior and dynamic postures, adds a satirical flair typical of Grandville’s anthropomorphic illustrations. The poem below the image heightens the drama, presenting the lion’s suspicion toward Reynard’s notorious lies.
Works such as this served both as visual entertainment and social commentary in Victorian Europe, subtly critiquing contemporary politics and human folly through the guise of animals.

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