Allegorische voorstelling met een monster dat het Nieuwe Testament en andere boeken vertrapt 1723

Bernard Picart created this print around 1723, now held at the Rijksmuseum, filled with potent symbols of religious and intellectual conflict. Note the central monster trampling sacred texts, a vivid embodiment of the forces Picart believed were suppressing true faith. This recalls ancient depictions of chaoskampf, the battle against chaos monsters, a theme echoed in numerous cultures from Babylonian mythology to Christian iconography, reflecting a primal human struggle against disorder. The monster is surrounded by figures wielding various weapons, suggesting an assault on established dogma and institutions. The peacock feathers in the background, traditionally symbols of pride and vanity, hint at the corrupting influence of worldly desires on spiritual matters. Such imagery resonates with earlier depictions of temptation and sin, connecting to collective fears about moral corruption. Consider how these symbols engage viewers on a subconscious level, tapping into deeply ingrained cultural narratives about the battle between good and evil. The cyclical progression of these images demonstrates how they resurface across history, evolving and adapting, yet always retaining their power to provoke and challenge.