The Gadarene Demoniacs c. 1576 - 1580

Léonard Gaultier created this engraving, “The Gadarene Demoniacs,” during a time of religious conflict and reformation. The piece illustrates a biblical story where Jesus casts demons out of two possessed men and into a herd of swine. Consider how the representation of mental illness is depicted here through the figures of the demoniacs. In this era, such conditions were often interpreted through a religious lens, as signs of spiritual affliction or demonic possession. The wild-eyed men, one bound and disheveled, and the chaotic stampede of swine contrast with the calm, authoritative figure of Jesus. Notice the ableist narrative at play. The story doesn't focus on the men but on the spectacle of their 'curing' and the economic loss caused by the death of the pigs. Through this work, Gaultier provides insight into the historical context of the beliefs and social attitudes toward mental health, inviting us to reflect on how society defines and treats those who are marginalized.