What is the meaning behind the painting The Lone Wolf by Alfred von Wierusz-Kowalski?

I think, like most art, the meaning is subjective, and only the artist could tell his specific intent, but when I look at this painting there are several possible meanings. One obvious theme is the harshness of winter and the survival drive of the wolf. I question the meaning behind the cabins the wolf stares down at. Are they symbolic of the intrusion of humans into the wolf's territory, and the impending end of the wolf's rule, or is there a more sentimental meaning. Is the cold, lonely wolf perhaps envying an unseen dog lying before the hearth? Given that there are reports of the artist's family being attacked by a pack of wolves- a scene depicted in another of his paintings- sentimentality seems unlikely. FYI, there are numerous variations on this print. I have personally seen a single cabin, numerous cabins, and I own a large version called "The Pack", with the same wolf in the foreground and a large pack of wolves in the background.