Omlijsting met putti en wapens en godenattributen 1723

This baroque print, made by François van Bleyswijck, likely dates to the early 18th century. Its Latin text, framed by putti, weapons, and divine attributes, reveals a complex interplay between knowledge, power, and morality. The print seems to be a title page for a doctoral thesis on ‘Tortura Reorum’ – the torture of the accused. This points to a society grappling with the legitimacy and ethics of its judicial practices in the early modern period. The cherubic figures and classical symbols present an idealized vision of justice, yet they are juxtaposed with the harsh reality of torture. Consider how this juxtaposition serves to either legitimize or question the practices of the time. As such, this artwork reflects the societal tensions between reason and cruelty, justice and oppression, revealing a society at a crossroads in its understanding of human rights and governance.