Shield with a Greyhound, Held by a Wild Man

In medieval Europe, the threat of a wild man hungry for tender flesh was often used by parents to keep misbehaving children in line. By the end of the 15th century, with the rise of crowded urban centers, the legend of wild men and women living in the deepest forests gained a new attraction, as these fantastical beings were said to possess unusual strength and practice a sexuality free from societal norms. The influential and prolific engraver Martin Schongauer was occasionally commissioned by affluent patrons to create engraved coats of arms boasting shields proffered by such figures. Cudgel in hand, these hirsute heroes may have been intended to emphasize the fecundity and strength of the family line.