De Rogstekers van Weert, ca. 1650 1650 - 1706

This etching, "De Rogstekers van Weert," made around 1650 by an anonymous artist, teems with lively figures engaged in a peculiar battle against a dead ray, or "Roch." This unusual combat becomes a symbolic arena where communal identity and perhaps social critique are enacted. Observe how this scene resonates with the ancient motif of heroic battles against monstrous creatures. It echoes, in a farcical key, the myth of Perseus slaying Medusa or St. George confronting the dragon. In those myths, the hero confronts existential threats; here, the townsfolk rally against a dead fish. The ray itself, lifeless as it may be, becomes a vessel for anxieties or perhaps a symbol of communal solidarity. This transformation of the mundane into the symbolically charged reminds us how deeply ingrained the heroic narrative is in our collective psyche. The humor of the image does not undermine its psychological potency. Instead, it suggests that even in moments of absurdity, our drive to create meaning and community persists. This etching invites us to reflect on how we collectively confront our "dragons," whether real or imagined, and how these battles shape our shared identities across time.