Willem Tell springt op rots en ontsnapt uit gevangenschap 1776 - 1847

Johannes Christiaan Bendorp created this print, depicting Willem Tell's daring escape, sometime before 1849. Look at Tell, leaping onto the rocks. His poised body, caught mid-flight, is a powerful symbol of defiance against tyranny, a motif deeply rooted in the psyche of societies yearning for liberation. The image of a hero escaping captivity is found across cultures and ages. Think of Perseus fleeing Medusa, or Moses leading his people out of Egypt. What is it about this act of escape that captures our imagination? Perhaps it is the embodiment of hope, the triumph of the human spirit against overwhelming odds. Consider the rock Tell leaps upon: a solid, unyielding foundation amidst a stormy sea, a metaphor for steadfastness. The psychological power here is palpable. Tell becomes a figure onto which collective desires for freedom are projected, a symbol resonating with an almost primal intensity. His story transcends mere narrative; it touches upon universal themes of resistance, courage, and the unending quest for liberty. This symbol has resurfaced time and time again.