Spotprent op het mislukte Franse beleg van Turijn, 1706 1706

This anonymous print from 1706, now held in the Rijksmuseum, commemorates the failed French siege of Turin. We see various allegorical figures, each laden with symbolic weight. Note the bull, representing Turin, pierced by a lance. This image echoes the ancient motif of the sacrificial bull, a symbol found in Minoan Crete and Mithraic mysteries, where the act signified renewal and transformation. Here, the act is inverted; instead of regeneration, the speared bull embodies the suffering of Turin under siege. Notice, too, how the urn is inscribed with ‘MORS EST IN OLLA’ – death is in the pot – underscoring the ruinous consequences of conflict. Such images tap into deep-seated fears and desires, resonating on a subconscious level. This combination of overt symbolism and underlying emotional currents creates a potent, enduring image, a testament to the cyclical nature of conflict.