Executies op bevel van Alva, ca. 1567 1618 - 1649

"Executies op bevel van Alva" is a 17th-century etching that depicts a public execution in the Netherlands during the Dutch Revolt. The scene takes place in a public square and shows a condemned man kneeling on a platform while being executed by a swordsman in front of a large crowd. The etching is a powerful depiction of the violence and brutality of the period. The detailed etching style of the artwork was common in the early modern period and was used to document historical events and propagate propaganda.