Pero zoogt de geketende Cimon in de gevangenis 1683 - 1733

Bernard Picart created this etching of ‘Pero zoogt de geketende Cimon in de gevangenis,’ sometime between 1673 and 1733. It depicts a daughter, Pero, breastfeeding her father, Cimon, who has been imprisoned and sentenced to death by starvation. The story, recounted by Roman writers, exemplifies filial piety, a virtue often celebrated in art. The implications of such narratives shift when viewed through a feminist lens. Here, Pero’s act challenges patriarchal law, her body becomes a site of resistance. By providing nourishment, she disrupts the intended punishment. What does it mean for a woman to sustain life in a space designed for death? Picart invites us to consider the power dynamics at play, the boundaries between sacrifice and subversion, and the complex ways in which gender, law, and love intersect. The image lingers in the space between devotion and defiance.