Patriotsche Slagttyd, 1784 1784

This engraving titled *Patriotsche Slagttyd*, or “Patriotic Slaughter Time”, was created by an anonymous artist in 1784. It reflects the political tensions of the Dutch Patriot movement through a gruesome scene. Here we see what appears to be a domestic interior, disrupted by violence and the presence of armed men. Two slaughtered pigs hang on a rack as a woman throws her hands up in distress, while men in hats casually observe the scene. What might the slaughter of pigs symbolize in this context? What does it mean to call it "patriotic"? The image presents a loaded commentary on the violence and upheaval associated with political and social change. The artist uses the imagery of slaughter to evoke feelings of disgust and unease, asking viewers to reflect on the human cost of political turmoil. The unsettling depiction of domestic life turned upside down invites us to contemplate the intersection of personal experience and broader political narratives, a reflection on how ideology can infiltrate and disrupt our most intimate spaces.