Non wordt aan een ketting meegenomen door een soldaat 1683 - 1733

This engraving by Bernard Picart depicts a dramatic scene: a soldier leading nuns away in chains. The rosaries hanging from their waists, symbols of faith and devotion, contrast sharply with their captivity, highlighting the disruption of spiritual order. This motif of captivity stretches back through time. Consider the countless images of enslaved peoples, their bonds a brutal assertion of power. In ancient Rome, captured enemies were paraded in chains, a spectacle of dominance. Here, the chains around the nuns evoke these historical precedents, yet their spiritual resolve offers a counterpoint to the soldier’s control. The nuns appear stoic in the face of adversity, reflecting a powerful inner strength. The non-linear progression of symbols allows us to recognize how certain images such as chains resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.