French Releasing Pigs During the Siege of Rennes

This engraving by Gustave Doré depicts an episode from the siege of Rennes. In the foreground, pigs are released into the middle of the fighting, causing confusion among the heavily armed attackers. In the background, the city’s fortifications, moats, and groups of combatants appear along the walls and the approach to the siege. The image stages an unusual episode of medieval warfare, rendered with Doré’s characteristic sense of movement, turmoil, and dramatic storytelling.