Tomyris doopt hoofd van Cyrus in bloed 1539

This is Georg Pencz’s "Tomyris doopt hoofd van Cyrus in bloed," an engraving at the Rijksmuseum. The stark contrast between light and shadow intensifies the drama. Look closely at the composition: Tomyris stands monumental, almost defiant, as she dunks the severed head of Cyrus into a vessel. The stark, precise lines articulate the muscular bodies and the grotesque details of the severed head. Notice how Pencz uses the controlled strokes to render the textures, from the soft flesh to the cold, hard metal of the soldiers' armor. The act itself—a queen avenging her son by ritually defiling the corpse of her enemy—challenges conventional morality. Pencz uses the formal elements of engraving to create a scene that is not just visually striking, but conceptually disruptive, inviting us to reconsider themes of power, revenge, and justice through a semiotic system. In this print, fixed meanings are destabilized, prompting a re-evaluation of cultural and philosophical discourse.