A Man Hanging by His Arms (the Corpse of the King?) 1530 - 1570

This drawing, “A Man Hanging by His Arms (the Corpse of the King?),” was made by Frans Floris I during the tumultuous 16th century. Floris was deeply influenced by the Italian Renaissance, and he adapted its styles to the Northern European sensibilities of his home. Consider the impact of religious and political strife during the Reformation era on art. The image depicts a body, possibly royal, subjected to public humiliation. This reflects the era’s brutal power struggles between monarchs and their rivals. Executions, real and symbolic, were a grim reality and a means of asserting dominance. It makes you wonder about Floris's intentions: was he making a statement about power? The rawness of the sketch, with its focus on the exposed and vulnerable body, conveys a visceral emotionality. Is this artwork documenting a historical moment, or perhaps critiquing it? Does it invite you to question the human cost of ambition and conflict?