Alkoof met Pelias c. 1662 - 1670

This engraving by Jean Lepautre depicts a scene of violence from classical mythology: the daughters of Pelias murdering their father. The composition centers on Pelias, vulnerable and supine, beset by his daughters with their weapons, while Medea watches on. The act of parricide carries deep symbolic weight, resonating with themes of betrayal, ambition, and the disruption of natural order. This imagery is echoed across various artistic traditions; think of Saturn devouring his children, or even Shakespeare's dramas of regicide. Such scenes evoke a sense of horror, a primal fear of familial discord and the consequences of unchecked desire. The collective memory of these archetypal narratives engages our subconscious, stirring profound emotional responses to the cycle of violence and revenge. This cyclical progression appears across history, evolving in its specific manifestations, yet consistently tapping into the powerful undercurrents of human experience.