Martelaarschap van de heilige Laurentius 1600 - 1620

Justus Sadeler created this engraving of the Martyrdom of St. Lawrence. The image illustrates a deeply gendered and hierarchical structure of power. We see, in excruciating detail, the male body of St. Lawrence being brutalized by other men. Sadeler was a Flemish artist working during a period of intense religious conflict. This piece reflects the Counter-Reformation’s emphasis on the suffering of saints as a testament to faith. It also resonates with broader historical themes of persecution and religious identity. The emotional intensity of the scene is heightened by the contrast between the saint’s suffering and his steadfast belief. The male figures around him, both the perpetrators and onlookers, play different roles in this drama of power and faith. The muscularity of the executioners, and the passive, almost theatrical suffering of St Lawrence, creates a charged dynamic, reflecting the gendered dimensions of power. The artist invites us to contemplate the personal and collective meanings of sacrifice, belief, and resistance in a world defined by conflict.