description description

View of New Amsterdam

Image

View of New Amsterdam

Meurs, Jacob van / Meurs, Jacob van

View of Nieuw Amsterdam.

Novum Amsterodamum.

In the centre of the picture a man is depicted hanging by his middle. This activity is comparable to the punishment meted out to runaway or recalcitrant slaves in South America (Surinam). The slave being punished was suspended by a hook in his ribs and swung to and fro. This so-called 'hook swinging' was also practiced in India.

Please contact Koninklijke Bibliotheek for reuse and copyrights.

Sources and literature

Montanus, Arnout, De nieue en onbekende weereld: of beschrijving van America en 't Zuidland […] (1671)