Jael Killing Sisera c. 1658 - 1659

Rembrandt van Rijn rendered this stark image of Jael Killing Sisera with pen and brown ink. We witness the heroine Jael enacting a brutal act of violence, hammering a tent peg into the temple of the sleeping Sisera, a defeated commander. The motif of the weapon wielded by a woman is rich in symbolism, and its impact on the viewer's psyche is considerable. Consider Judith with the head of Holofernes, or even Salome with John the Baptist's head, as a visual analogy. This theme transcends epochs, echoing in Artemisia Gentileschi's visceral depictions. The act of a woman using a traditionally masculine tool to assert power is a potent reversal, stirring deep-seated anxieties and challenging conventional gender roles. The recurring image of the weapon serves as a visceral reminder of the cyclical nature of power, violence, and retribution across history.