Slachting onder het Romeins driemanschap 1565 - 1569

This print, "Slaughter under the Roman Triumvirate," was made by Hieronymus Cock, in the mid-16th century using engraving. This technique involves incising lines onto a metal plate to create a design, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. What makes this work so compelling is the stark contrast between the precise, almost mechanical, nature of the engraving process and the chaotic, violent scene it depicts. Every line is carefully etched, yet the overall effect is one of frenzy and disorder. You can almost feel the weight of the historical narrative bearing down on you. Cock's choice of engraving, a medium that demands precision and control, to portray such a scene, underscores the tension between order and chaos, control and violence, that lies at the heart of the artwork. It's a reminder that even the most meticulous processes can be used to represent the most unsettling aspects of human experience. This challenges our traditional art-historical distinction between "high" art and "mere" craft.