Procne toont het hoofd van Itys aan Tereus 1606

Antonio Tempesta created this engraving titled "Procne toont het hoofd van Itys aan Tereus" sometime between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It depicts a disturbing scene from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, highlighting themes of revenge and female agency in a patriarchal society. The print shows Procne, assisted by her sister Philomela, presenting her husband Tereus with the head of their son, Itys, after serving him the child's flesh in a meal. This act of revenge follows Tereus's rape of Philomela and his subsequent silencing of her by cutting out her tongue. Tempesta’s decision to visualize this intense and violent narrative speaks to the cultural fascination with stories of transgression and retribution. What are the limits of justice when it comes to the violation of one’s body? It challenges traditional representations of women as passive victims, instead portraying them as active agents of vengeance. It raises complex questions about the cycle of violence and the lengths to which individuals will go to redress profound injustices.