Illustratie voor de Decamerone van Boccaccio 1697

Romeyn de Hooghe etched this illustration for Boccaccio's Decameron. The image pulsates with the theatricality of justice and retribution, as we see a man and a woman tied to stakes. The stakes, symbols of sacrifice, are reminiscent of ancient pagan rituals, echoed later in Christian martyrdoms. Consider the bound figures: a gesture of vulnerability and exposure, mirroring the agonies of Prometheus chained or Saint Sebastian pierced by arrows. These archetypes traverse time, each appearance layered with the anxieties and moral lessons of its age. The act of tying could reflect a collective fear of lawlessness, manifesting in public displays of punitive power. This potent image taps into our shared psyche, conjuring feelings of dread, pity, and perhaps, a dark satisfaction, emotions that bind us across the centuries. The echoes of such scenes reverberate through our cultural memory.