Pinechas doodt Zimri en Kozbi 1488 - 1562

This engraving, "Pinechas doodt Zimri en Kozbi," of unknown origin, depicts a dramatic scene of religious zealotry. Here, Pinechas is shown enacting divine justice by executing Zimri and Kozbi. Consider the societal implications of this act, framed within historical interpretations of religious law and moral purity. The figures are rendered with a stark, muscular intensity, emphasizing themes of power and retribution. How might the image have been seen by different audiences – those who saw it as a justification for religious violence, and those who might have been critical of its moral implications? Note the composition, which heightens the emotional tension of the narrative. The bodies are contorted in extreme poses, reflecting the violence and the ideological fervor driving the scene. It serves as a historical artifact, provoking us to consider the relationships between belief, power, and violence.