6356 Theodor de Bry – The abuse of imperial authority by Spanish soldiers in Peru

This dramatic engraving by Theodor de Bry illustrates the abuse of imperial authority by Spanish soldiers in Peru, who under the pretense of loyalty to the emperor, avenge personal grievances. The scene is divided: at left, a wounded figure reclines in a tent while an officer offers counsel or comfort; to the right, a violent episode unfolds as soldiers burst through a doorway and chase others across a mountainous landscape. The tension between public duty and private vendetta is underscored by the Latin caption and the extended narrative below, which denounces the corruption of power and justice in the colonial setting.