The Hedgehog’s Dilemma

by Daniel Mackie March 22, 2013 3 Comments

Hegdehog painting The finished painting of a hegdehog, and below the same painting in progress.

The hedgehog’s dilemma is an analogy about the challenges of human intimacy. It goes like this, An Array of hedgehogs are getting ready for their winter hibernation, they start to snuggle down into their nest and cuddle up to each other to conserve heat. But they must remain apart. They cannot avoid hurting one another with their sharp spines. Oh dear!

Sigmund Freud used The Hedgehog’s dilemma to describe the individuals relation to others in society. The hedgehog’s dilemma suggests that despite goodwill, human intimacy cannot occur without substantial mutual harm. We all have to have some pain from each other to enjoy some intimacy.

This painting of a hedgehog continues with the theme of animals in their natural habitat. The Hedgehog with a grassy bank depicted on his back. The clover flowers bringing out the green of the grass and vice a-versa.

I Studied Albrecht Dürer watercolour, “Great Piece of Turf”, which is a truly astonishing painting, to get some inspiration for the grass. and I continued my thread of influence of japanese prints and the arts and crafts to decorate the belly of the hedgehog.

Image © Daniel Mackie

View animal cards and prints and Daniel’s Shop, The DM Collection

Daniel Mackie

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3 Responses

The DM Collection

September 28, 2016

Thanks both – the designs are quite pain-staking to produce but glad you agree it’s worth it.

GSZLATOSZLAVEK – There are a couple of hares in fact – http://www.thedmcollection.com/search?type=product&q=hare (or type ‘hare’, or other animal into the search bar at the top)

KAREN – glad you enjoyed the story, and best of luck to your daughter! Portraiture is very precise skilled work.

karen laing

September 22, 2016

I love seeing the drawing take shape,my daughter is an artist,specialising in portraiture in graphite so I know the work that goes into a piece.When I clicked on the link I was pleasantly surprised to read about The Hedgehogs Dilemma,I didn’t expect to be educated at the same time !

GSzlatoszlavek

September 22, 2016

The hedgehog is magical !
Just wondering is there a hare?

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