The Wheel, plate fourteen from The Large Miseries of War n.d.

"The Wheel," a harrowing etching by Gerrit Lucasz van Schagen, depicts a public execution. This plate, from a larger series, illustrates the brutal realities of war in the 17th century. The image shows a crowd gathered to witness a man being broken on the wheel, a gruesome method of torture and execution. The scene is filled with detail, from the soldier raising his sword to the terrified faces of the onlookers. The work serves as a stark reminder of the violence that characterized the era, highlighting the suffering inflicted upon both victims and witnesses alike.