Executie van Bathasar Gerards, 1584 1613 - 1615

This 1584 engraving by an anonymous artist, titled "Execution of Balthasar Gerards," captures a brutal moment in Dutch history. Gerards was the assassin of William the Silent, a key figure in the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule. The image is not just a record of an execution; it's a depiction of power, justice, and the human body. The public spectacle of Gerards's execution, complete with torture, tells us about the period’s notions of crime and punishment. Executions like these were a way to assert the authority of the state, while also serving as a warning. Consider the emotional impact this scene would have had on those who witnessed it. It is important to ask how an image like this shapes collective memory and national identity. It forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about violence, justice, and the ways societies deal with political dissent.