The Holy Stag – Hand-Painted Miniature on Wood & Fine Art Print from the Watercolour – Saint Hubert, Nature and Forest – Gift for Hunters

This small hand-painted artwork depicts the “Holy Stag”, inspired by the legend of Saint Hubert. It recalls how Hubert renounced the hunt after his vision and has since come to symbolise a responsible, ethical relationship with animals and nature. The artwork takes up this spiritual message and translates it into a modern, aesthetic form that unites a deep connection to nature with spirituality.

It is both a classical and a contemporary iconographic object – a fusion of religious symbolism, romantic notions of the hunt and medieval heraldry. The piece brings together nature reverence, Christian symbolism and traditional craftsmanship in a concise, poetic image.

Ideal as wall art for lovers of nature, hunters guided by a strong ethical code, and collectors of spiritual and sacred motifs.

Details
Hand-painted original, acrylic on wooden plaque
9.5 × 11 cm, thickness 18 mm
Clear varnish for protection
Reverse side with drilled hole for wall hanging

High-quality art print of the watercolour
Premium textured paper, DIN A5, print approx. 11 × 14.5 cm
(Frame not included)

Perfect as
A special gift for people with a love of forests, wildlife and the natural world
Hunters (with a Saint Hubert reference)
Art collectors seeking distinctive, original pieces

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Background
Barbara Deuerlein (Nov 2025)

In rural areas, November is entirely shaped by the hunting season. The calls of the beaters, the barking of the dogs, and the sound of gunshots could be heard from afar, leaving me, too, in a contemplative mood. Questions of hunting and ethics have occupied my mind for a long time; now it was time to dedicate a positive symbol to this complex subject.

The stag has always been regarded as a being between worlds. Its antlers, rising skyward like a growing tree, make it a symbol of renewal, royal dignity, and the connection between earth and spirit. With their annual shedding, they also stand for cosmic order and rebirth. In Celtic and Germanic traditions, the stag appears as a messenger from the Otherworld, a guide in times of transition, and the embodiment of strength and protection. In Christian symbolism, it becomes an image of the longing for God, of the pure heart, and of the path to the light—especially in the legend of Saint Hubert, whom a stag bearing a radiant cross called to repentance.

Whether as mythical guide, sacred creature, or emblem of inner transformation—the stag remains an archetypal sign of the search for the sacred within the earthly. Its calm gaze recalls icon painting: powerful not through force, but through a quiet authority that touches our conscience and calls us to act with kindness.

After his vision, Hubert turned away from the hunt. And although he is now considered the patron saint of hunters, his legacy stands for something else: a respectful, responsible relationship with animals and nature, mindfulness, and a deep appreciation of all living things. In this ethos of the chase, hunting does not mean dominion but stewardship—an act of balance, respect, and preservation. Whoever enters the forest in this spirit is not an owner but a guest. And those who choose the peaceful path walk softly and in silence.