Josias befaler, at stenstøtterne af Astarte, Kemosj og Milkom skal nedbrydes og omhugges 1569

Maarten van Heemskerck created this drawing, “Josias befaler, at stenstøtterne af Astarte, Kemosj og Milkom skal nedbrydes og omhugges,” using pen and brown ink. Van Heemskerck lived during the Reformation, a period marked by religious upheaval. His artistic choices often reflected the complex dynamics between the Catholic Church and emerging Protestant ideologies. Here, we see King Josiah ordering the destruction of idols, a scene laden with religious and political meaning in 16th century Europe. Notice the physical exertion of the men demolishing the statues, in stark contrast to the stoic authority of King Josiah. What does it mean to destroy an idol? What does it mean to replace it with something else? By choosing this subject, van Heemskerck invites us to reflect on power, belief, and the ways in which societies construct and deconstruct their values. The drawing prompts a conversation about the emotional and physical impact of iconoclasm, or the destruction of religious icons, and its role in shaping cultural identities.