Man op krukken met vliegengif 1795 - 1796

This etching is by Pieter van Woensel, created in the late 18th century. A man on crutches dominates the composition, his face contorted in anguish. He is set against a coastal landscape with ships at sea, an allusion to the dangers and uncertainties of life. The man holds aloft a flask labeled "Fly Poison," surrounded by a swarm of flies. In the upper right corner, a gallows looms. These elements, starkly rendered in simple lines, frame a scene of mortality and despair. The crutches and missing leg are more than physical afflictions; they are visual metaphors for human frailty. The swarm of flies adds to the theme of mortality, suggesting corruption and decay. Woensel uses a semiotic system where the visual elements function as signs. The man, the poison, the flies, and the gallows collectively signify the human condition, one marked by suffering and inevitable death. The composition, divided between the earthly scene and the looming gallows, underscores this duality.