Hond zoekt in de stam van een boom 1681

This anonymous print was made in Paris in 1681 as the frontispiece for Pierre Corneille's tragedy, *Pompeé*. Corneille was a towering figure in 17th-century French literature, and this play, first performed in 1643, dramatizes the power struggle between Caesar and Pompey. The image shows a dog searching in the trunk of a tree. A ribbon wrapped around the trunk reads "Overendo," a Latin word that can mean both "respect" and "overthrow." This reflects the themes of the play and the tumultuous political climate of the time. Absolutist France under Louis XIV saw a consolidation of power in the monarchy. The play, and this image, suggest the period's anxieties about authority and the potential for rebellion. To fully understand the image, scholars can consult historical texts, literary criticism, and studies of visual culture. The print underscores how art is embedded in specific social and institutional contexts.