Spotprent op de berechting van Arthur O'Connor, 1798 Possibly 1798

In this 1798 print by James Gillray, we see Arthur O'Connor on trial, his 'friends' testifying against him. The scales of justice hover precariously, but it is the motif of 'friendship' turned betrayal that demands our attention. This act of betrayal, immortalized in visual form, echoes through history. We recall Judas's kiss, a symbol of ultimate treachery, or the Roman senators plunging their daggers into Caesar. In each instance, the bond of friendship is twisted into a weapon, leaving a wound far deeper than any physical blow. The 'friends' here claim to have 'intimately' known the accused, their loyalty revealed as hollow. Psychologically, the fear of betrayal taps into our deepest insecurities about trust and belonging. Gillray masterfully captures this anxiety, reminding us of the ever-present potential for those closest to us to become our adversaries. The image serves as a stark reminder of the cyclical nature of history, where the themes of loyalty, betrayal, and justice are continually replayed on the stage of human affairs, each time with new actors but with the same, haunting script.