Niels Klim ser en potuansk misdæder blive ført afsted af tre vægtere 1786 - 1787

J.F. Clemens created this engraving, titled 'Niels Klim ser en potuansk misdæder blive ført afsted af tre vægtere', at an unknown date. It depicts a scene from Ludvig Holberg’s satirical science-fiction novel, Niels Klim’s Underground Travels, published in 1741, during the Age of Enlightenment. The protagonist, Niels Klim, encounters a trial scene and sees a 'Potuan' criminal being led away by three guards. What's fascinating is how Clemens visualizes Holberg's satirical world. The guards appear as strange beings, adorned with foliage, embodying a distorted view of justice and authority. This evokes questions about how power operates in society and the dangers of blindly following tradition. Clemens lived during a time of significant social change, marked by the rise of Enlightenment ideals that challenged existing norms. His artistic approach reflects a world where identities and social roles are performed but also questioned, leaving us to consider the relationship between justice, power, and individual freedom.