Moord op de protestanten te Wassy, 1562 1570

Jean Perrissin created this engraving titled, "Massacre of the Protestants of Wassy, 1562." The image plunges us into a pivotal moment of religious conflict in 16th-century France, a time when tensions between Catholics and Protestants, known as Huguenots, were escalating towards open warfare. Perrissin, born amidst this turmoil, captures the harrowing event in Wassy, where a Protestant service was violently disrupted by the Duke of Guise and his armed men, resulting in the slaughter of unarmed worshippers. The print serves not just as a record but as a visceral depiction of religious persecution, highlighting the vulnerability of the Protestant community. What strikes me most is how Perrissin frames the violence as an assault on identity and freedom of worship, making it a powerful statement on the era's religious intolerance. The emotional weight of the scene is palpable, reminding us of the human cost of ideological conflict. Perrissin's work invites us to reflect on the ongoing struggles for religious freedom and the importance of standing against oppression.