Mishandeling van burgemeester Andries de Graaf, 1672 1779 - 1781

Simon Fokke’s etching, "Mishandeling van burgemeester Andries de Graaf, 1672," illustrates the mayor’s mistreatment, capturing a pivotal moment of public turmoil. Notice the central gesture: the aggressive reaching, the raised arms, and the postures of the crowd, brimming with collective rage. Here, we witness the raw, unfiltered expression of communal anger, a theme that echoes through art history. Consider, for example, the Laocoön sculpture from antiquity. It expresses agony and despair, reappearing centuries later in works that seek to capture profound human suffering. The public display of emotion, especially in times of political strife, is a recurring motif. Such displays are primal and potent. They tap into collective memory, reminding us of the enduring human capacity for both violence and catharsis. Through Fokke's etching, we observe how the symbols of outrage are carried across time, evolving yet retaining their core emotional power.