Onlusten tijdens de ophanging van een man en vrouw aan de Waag te Amsterdam, 28 juni 1748 1777 - 1796

This etching by Simon Fokke captures the unrest during the hanging of a man and woman at the Weigh House in Amsterdam in 1748. Dominating the scene is the architectural facade of the Waag, adorned with Amsterdam's coat of arms: three crosses, a symbol deeply rooted in civic identity. The X-shaped cross motif echoes across history, from ancient heraldry to religious iconography, where the cross signifies sacrifice and intersection. Here, at the Waag, it becomes a symbol of civic authority and perhaps, in this context, injustice. Notice how the crowd surges forward, a chaotic sea of bodies mirroring the tumultuous emotions churning within. Such public displays of justice were intended to assert power, but often ignited collective passions, stirring primal fears and desires. The image thus becomes a stage where the drama of human existence unfolds, echoing through the ages, reminding us that symbols are never static, but evolve with the tides of history and the currents of our shared unconscious.