Maria Stuart 

Alfred Rethel rendered this drawing of Maria Stuart in the mid-19th century. It presents a central figure writing at a desk, surrounded by various narrative scenes from history and fiction. Notice the recurring motif of death. Decapitation, a particularly gruesome form of execution, appears not just once, but multiple times around the central figure. Throughout history, decapitation has symbolized power, justice, and also terror. Think of Holofernes in biblical art, or the countless martyrs depicted with their severed heads. The persistence of such imagery reveals a deep-seated fascination—or perhaps a collective trauma—embedded in our cultural memory. It evokes intense emotional states, engaging viewers on a subconscious level, tapping into primal fears and anxieties. This is not merely history; it's a psychological landscape, where symbols evolve, resurface, and haunt our collective imagination.