Jaël en Sisera

A woman in flowing garments kneels over a sleeping man in armor, preparing to strike a tent stake through his head with a mallet. Discarded weapons and armor lie in the foreground, while a battle and ruined buildings are visible in the background. The scene is rendered with intricate linework and dramatic, twisting poses.

This engraving is a product of the Haarlem Mannerist school, a circle of artists around Hendrick Goltzius who pioneered the technical and stylistic innovations later used in esoteric and alchemical illustrations. It depicts a theme known as the 'Power of Women,' illustrating how a physically weaker figure can overcome a powerful enemy through divine favor or cunning.