Terechtstellingen van beeldenstormers, 1567 1780 - 1795

Curator: This engraving by Reinier Vinkeles, dating from 1780-1795, is titled "Terechtstellingen van beeldenstormers, 1567"—or "Executions of Iconoclasts, 1567." Editor: Whoa. Even in monochrome, it’s intense. Super unsettling. A whole catalogue of violence played out against what looks like a picturesque little village backdrop. It's... surprisingly unsettling. Curator: Indeed. The print depicts the brutal punishment of those involved in the "Beeldenstorm," or Iconoclastic Fury, that swept through the Low Countries in 1566. This was a period of intense religious and political upheaval where Protestant reformers destroyed Catholic religious imagery and church property. Vinkeles here creates an image of public retributive justice. Editor: Retributive, wow, is putting it mildly! Look, there's public hanging over on the left. Figures being burned—right there by what I assume is a church. Is that meant to be a statement in itself? Like, right under the nose of the church? Curator: Absolutely. The spatial organization in the engraving is very deliberate. It places the symbols of religious authority and the spectacle of violent punishment in the same visual plane. The proximity highlights the Church's role in legitimizing this crackdown against dissent. We see that relationship further in the presence of religious figures as witnesses in the crowd, legitimizing the act itself. Editor: It's fascinating how, even in a seemingly historical representation, you can draw parallels to contemporary issues surrounding religious freedom and the control, and violent response, when power dynamics are perceived to be threatened. It almost feels timeless. Curator: Precisely. Examining this engraving offers insight into the complex interplay of religion, politics, and violence that continues to resonate today. The anxieties around religious expression and iconoclasm take different forms, but remain, always, deeply present. Editor: Looking at it again… it makes you think about who gets to write the history, you know? Whose narrative gets etched – literally – into popular memory. It is quite chilling. Thanks for giving me new perspectives on it. Curator: My pleasure. Examining these histories helps contextualize the social dynamics playing out even now.