Soldaten overmeesteren twee vrouwen en leiden hen richting een ommuurde stad 1588 - 1637

Daniel Rabel made this print, “Soldiers Overpowering Two Women and Leading Them Toward a Walled City,” in the early 17th century using etching. Considered as a whole, the image presents us with some troubling questions about gender, violence, and civic order. The artist asks us to consider who is included and excluded from the protections of the city. What does it mean when those who should be protectors become violent actors? Rabel worked in France during a time of religious conflict. We know that the city was an important legal entity, and the imagery in the print raises questions about who was considered part of the city, and who was not. To gain a deeper insight, we might examine legal and religious writings from the period and study the history of urban life in early modern France. Such research can help us understand the complex interplay of social, political, and artistic forces that shaped this compelling image.