Julius Mansuetus wordt gedood in een gevecht met zijn zoon 1782

Reinier Vinkeles etched this image depicting Julius Mansuetus being slain by his own son. See how the fallen father lies prostrate, his sword cast aside, while his son recoils, arms outstretched, a gesture of horror or perhaps disbelief. This gesture echoes through time. Think of the figures in classical tragedies, or even in Renaissance paintings depicting moments of intense emotional and psychological turmoil. It's a universal expression of shock, grief, or the sudden realization of a terrible deed. Such motifs are not merely artistic conventions; they are deeply embedded in our collective consciousness. The pain of patricide, the shattering of the natural order, resonates across cultures. Vinkeles taps into this primal fear, reminding us of the cyclical nature of history, where old myths resurface, and ancient sorrows are re-enacted. The image captures a moment frozen in time, but its emotional weight transcends the centuries.