Berisping en veroordeling van de ondankbare knecht 1554 - 1612

Dirck Volckertsz Coornhert created this engraving titled 'Berisping en veroordeling van de ondankbare knecht' which translates to 'Rebuke and condemnation of the ungrateful servant.' In the print we see a biblical scene, the ungrateful servant being brought before the King to receive his punishment. Coornhert, deeply invested in moral and theological questions, uses the scene to think about justice and mercy. But it's not just about a single story. The way the figures are rendered and the detailed setting invite us to consider the broader social hierarchies of the time, the power dynamics between rulers and the ruled, and the expectations placed on individuals within that structure. How do we balance our own needs with our responsibilities to others? What does it mean to be in debt, either literally or figuratively? Coornhert asks us to consider the complex layers of human relationships and the weight of accountability.