Fries met drie geboeide mannen (krijgsgevangenen of slaafgemaakten) en wapens 1583 - 1638

This frieze depicting three bound men, either prisoners of war or enslaved people, accompanied by weapons, was created by Odoardo Fialetti. During the 16th and 17th centuries, European society was structured by hierarchies of power, wealth, and race. In this context, Fialetti’s work engages with the representation of domination and subjugation, and we are confronted with questions about the nature of captivity. The presence of weapons alongside the bound figures underscores a narrative of conquest and control, while the bound figures evoke the brutal realities of war and the slave trade. The artist’s depiction is likely a reflection of the period's social attitudes towards enslaved people, but it's important to critically examine the ethics of such imagery. What does it mean to witness suffering represented as an aesthetic scene? How can we, as contemporary viewers, engage with this artwork in a way that acknowledges historical realities but also challenges the normalization of oppression? This frieze serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict.