Fotoreproductie van Gedachten en visioenen van een afgehakt hoofd. Linkerluik: Eerste minuut door Antoine Wiertz before 1868

This photogravure by Edmond Fierlants captures Antoine Wiertz's surreal painting, "Gedachten en visioenen van een afgehakt hoofd. Linkerluik: Eerste minuut." Wiertz, living in Belgium amidst social upheaval, created art that grappled with the darker sides of humanity. This image, with its nightmarish depiction of a severed head surrounded by grotesque figures, invites us to confront the spectacle of death and its psychological impact. Fierlants, through photography, democratizes this vision, making it accessible to a wider audience. Consider how the theme of decapitation resonates across history, often symbolizing the loss of power, justice, or identity. The blurred figures surrounding the head seem to represent the turmoil of thoughts and emotions, reflecting the anxieties of a society grappling with change. What does it mean to visualize the immediate aftermath of such a violent act? This artwork challenges us to confront the gaze of the spectacle of violence, and, perhaps, to find a space for empathy within the horror.