In opdracht van doña Lambra slaat een dorpeling Gonzalo Gomez met een in bloed gedoopte komkommer 1612

Antonio Tempesta created this engraving, now at the Rijksmuseum, depicting a scene where Gonzalo Gomez is struck with a blood-soaked cucumber. The act itself, absurd as it seems, is laden with symbolism. Consider the cucumber: here, it's not merely a vegetable but an instrument of humiliation and violence. This echoes the ancient symbolism of vegetables, often linked to fertility and the earth, now twisted into a tool of aggression. We see the concept of fertility and life being perverted. The blood, of course, is a potent symbol of life, sacrifice, and in this context, defilement. It’s a recurring motif throughout art history, from sacrificial rituals to Christian iconography, where blood signifies both salvation and suffering. Here, its application onto the face of Gonzalo Gomez is a direct affront, a staining of honor. The power of such a scene lies in its ability to tap into our collective memory. These images, passed down through generations, engage us on a subconscious level, reminding us of the cyclical nature of violence and the ever-present potential for perversion and the desecration of symbols.