Fotoreproductie van Gedachten en visioenen van een afgehakt hoofd. Rechterluik: Derde minuut. In de eeuwigheid door Antoine Wiertz before 1868

Edmond Fierlants made this photographic reproduction of Antoine Wiertz's "Thoughts and visions of a severed head" some time in the mid-19th century. This disturbing image is a fragment of a larger composition exploring themes of violence and consciousness, revealing much about the cultural anxieties of the time. As photography emerged, it was immediately put to use documenting artworks, making them available to a wider audience and shaping their reception. Here, Fierlants' photograph captures Wiertz's exploration of the grotesque and sublime. It challenges conventional representations of beauty and morality. The severed head becomes a symbol of trauma, inviting contemplation on the darker aspects of human existence. The image resonates with questions about mortality, identity, and the limits of human experience. It serves as a potent reminder of the unsettling questions that artists pose about ourselves and society.