Inquisitie, laster en roddel 1768 - 1771

Charles Beurlier created this print, "Inquisition, Slander and Gossip," using etching and engraving techniques. Prints like this one circulated widely, acting as visual vehicles which shaped public opinion. Look closely, and you’ll see complex symbols that reveal the anxieties of the time. The print critiques the power structures that perpetuate injustice. The lower vignettes are particularly potent; each capturing scenes of persecution and defamation. Consider how gender and power intersect here; women were often the subject of slander. Who held the power to accuse, and who was vulnerable? And how did these dynamics play out in the broader context of social and political control? This print stands as a reminder of the power of words and images to shape our perceptions and influence our actions. It invites us to think about the way that we participate in conversations and narratives.