Aeneas doodt Turnus 1679 - 1728

Jean-Baptiste de Poilly etched "Aeneas doodt Turnus", capturing a pivotal moment from Virgil's Aeneid. Here we see Aeneas, towering over Turnus, about to deliver the death blow. Notice the eagle soaring above; a symbol deeply interwoven with power and divine authority. It harkens back to the Roman Empire, where the eagle was the emblem of Jupiter, the king of gods, and later adopted as a symbol of imperial rule. We see this motif echoed through history, from the standards of conquering legions to the heraldic crests of European dynasties. The act of killing itself is a powerful image, recurring throughout art history, reflecting mankind's complex relationship with violence, justice, and retribution. Such depictions tap into a primal layer of our psyche, stirring emotions of fear, empathy, and perhaps even a morbid fascination. This symbol of the eagle transcends its association with the Roman Empire, reappearing throughout history, evolving and adapting to new cultural contexts.