Impale Collection

Ancient Germanic warriors. They are naked except for animal skins with heads and antlers, and carry lances, clubs and wood and wicker shields. After Philipp Cluvers Germania Antiqua

Dreadful events in the front rows of the ring at Madrid and the death of the mayor of Torrejon in 1801
IND81921 Dreadful events in the front rows of the ring at Madrid and the death of the mayor of Torrejon in 1801, plate 21 of The Art of Bullfighting, pub

Rat Seller during the Siege of Paris, 1870 (oil on canvas)
XIR212795 Rat Seller during the Siege of Paris, 1870 (oil on canvas) by Chaillou, Narcisse (b.1837); Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee Carnavalet, Paris

VLAD III (1431-1477). Known as Vlad the Impaler. Prince of Wallachia. Dining in the midst of impaled bodies. German woodcut, 1499

TURKISH SOLDIER. A Turkish soldier with peasant prisoners. German woodcut, 16th century

THE FIGHT FOR THE STANDARD. Oil on canvas, 1865, by an unknown artist

ELEPHANT HUNT, 1719. Traps dug by Khoikhoi ( Hottentot ) in South Africa to catch elephants. Line engraving from an English edition, 1731, of Peter Kolbs The Present State of the Cape of Good Hope

SAUL: DEATH. The Death of Saul (I Samuel 31: 4, 5). Wood engraving, 19th century, after Gustave Dor

Initiation Ceremony for the Sublime Knight
Down on one knee between three impaled heads, the recipient receives the sash of the Sublime Knight Elect. 1890s

Five shrikes perched on a bush -- lanius rufus (1, 2 & 3) and lanius collurio (4 & 5). The shrike is also known as a butcher bird, because it skewers the insects

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Impale: A Glimpse into the Horrors of History Throughout history, the act of impaling has been associated with dread and terror. Ancient Germanic warriors were known to use this gruesome method as a form of execution, instilling fear in their enemies. The haunting echoes of dreadful events resonate through time. In Madrid's bullfighting ring, front-row spectators witnessed horrifying scenes that would forever be etched in their memories. The death of the mayor of Torrejon in 1801 unfolded before their eyes, captured vividly on plate 21 of "The Art of Bullfighting. " As if one glimpse into darkness was not enough, Francisco Goya's "The Disasters of War" further exposes humanity's capacity for cruelty. Plate 37 portrays an even more harrowing scene from this series published years later in 1863. In times besieged by war and chaos, unimaginable horrors emerged. During the Siege of Paris in 1870, a rat seller became an unlikely character amidst the turmoil depicted on canvas—an eerie reminder that desperation can lead to unthinkable actions. London Bridge witnessed its own macabre spectacle when a lute-playing keeper guarded severed heads—a chilling engraving from 1848 that reminds us how brutality seeped into everyday life during dark periods. Vlad III, infamously known as Vlad the Impaler or Dracula, remains synonymous with horror due to his sadistic methods. His reign is forever stained by tales depicting impalements carried out under his command. Beyond Europe's borders lies another chapter tainted by violence—the Ottoman Empire. Turkish miniatures depict executions executed with ruthless precision while German woodcuts portray Turkish soldiers leading peasant prisoners—a stark reminder that suffering knows no boundaries. Amidst these horrors emerges art attempting to capture human resilience amid adversity—such as "The Fight for the Standard, " an unknown artist's oil painting from 1865 showcasing the unwavering spirit in times of conflict.