Plate 13: two peasants standing to left, a cripple kneeling on the ground in center, a woman carrying a child seen from behind to right in middleground, a church to right in background, from 'Caprice faict par de la Bella' 1640 - 1645

Stefano della Bella etched this plate in the 17th century. Notice the figure kneeling at the center, his body contorted in a plea, his vulnerability laid bare. This is a figure of supplication, a motif resonant across centuries. Consider how this posture echoes in religious art, where saints and sinners alike kneel in repentance or prayer. Think of the medieval images of penitents, their bodies expressing a deep sense of remorse, mirroring the physical strain and emotional weight of asking for forgiveness. The very act of kneeling—reducing oneself in stature—becomes a potent symbol of humility and submission. It's a gesture that transcends its immediate context, reappearing in secular and sacred settings, each time carrying echoes of past expressions of vulnerability and deference. How does it stir our collective memory? It evokes our primal understanding of dependence and mortality.