Cincinnatus beordrer aequierne til at passere under åget 1574

This is Tobias Stimmer’s engraving *Cincinnatus beordrer aequierne til at passere under åget*. Its dense composition immediately draws our attention. The foreground is dominated by the strong diagonal lines of the horse and the defeated soldiers. Stimmer’s use of hatching creates a sense of depth and volume, while the stark contrast between light and shadow amplifies the scene's dramatic tension. The engraving illustrates a Roman victory, but it’s more than a historical record. The act of passing under the yoke was a symbolic humiliation, deeply ingrained in the cultural codes of the time. Stimmer uses this visual metaphor to explore themes of power and subjugation. He invites us to consider how these moments of dominance shape both the victor and the vanquished. The level of detail is very high and one can question if the act of recording and remembering such events influences our perception of history. Consider the materiality of the print itself. As a medium, it allows for the wide dissemination of ideas. It raises questions about how images shape our understanding of historical events and perpetuate or challenge societal norms.