Cassandra treurt over de verwoesting van Troje 1550 - 1555

Jan Swart van Groningen created this drawing of ‘Cassandra mourning the destruction of Troy,’ around 1535-1540 with pen and brown ink and grey wash. In a moment of intense personal grief, Cassandra sits, the ruins of her city ablaze behind her. She's caught between her own despair and the doom of her people. It’s a depiction that reflects the turbulent times of the 16th century when war and religious conflict were common. Swart, positioning Cassandra in the foreground, draws on the Greek myth, to emphasize the emotional weight of the scene, and to address broader issues of fate, power, and the consequences of human actions. The choice to depict a female figure as a central witness is notable, providing a perspective that is often marginalized in historical narratives of conflict and destruction. The piece invites us to reflect on how historical and mythological narratives are constructed and whose voices are centered or silenced.