Rolf wordt dodelijk verwond door Hiartwar 1781

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki created this print called 'Rolf wordt dodelijk verwond door Hiartwar' using etching. Chodowiecki was a Huguenot, a French Protestant, who lived during a time of great social and political change in Europe. This print captures a scene of violence from Norse mythology, reflecting the 18th-century fascination with epic tales of heroism and conflict. Yet, beyond the surface narrative, it is important to consider that Chodowiecki, as a member of a religious minority, would have been acutely aware of the dangers of persecution and the human cost of conflict. The image invites us to reflect on the human body and the spectacle of its violation, asking us to consider the place of violence in the making of social order. Consider the ways that the story of Rolf and Hiartwar resonates with histories of colonialism and conquest, and the ways in which these narratives continue to shape our understanding of power and identity today.