Terechtstelling van Maria Antoinetta van Oostenrijk, voormaals Koningin van Frankrijk, op den 16den van Wijnmaand 1793 1799

Reinier Vinkeles created this engraving depicting "The Execution of Marie Antoinette, former Queen of France" in 1793. The print encapsulates the turbulent period of the French Revolution. It marks a pivotal moment in European history defined by radical shifts in power, class struggles, and the questioning of long-standing social hierarchies. Vinkeles's image places us amidst the spectacle of Marie Antoinette's execution. The event symbolizes the end of aristocratic privilege and the rise of revolutionary ideals. Consider Marie Antoinette, whose Austrian heritage and perceived detachment from the struggles of the French people made her a target of revolutionary fervor. This image can elicit emotional reactions – from horror at the brutality of the event, to a sense of justice, or even a somber reflection on the human cost of revolution. The print, with its detailed rendering of the crowd and the guillotine, invites us to reflect on the intersections of gender, power, and social class during the French Revolution, capturing a moment where the old order was violently overthrown.