[Act XIII – Many Bystanders Observe as Sempronio Is Executed After Pármeno, Who Lies Dead Behind Him] · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: [Act XIII – Many Bystanders Observe as Sempronio Is Executed After Pármeno, Who Lies Dead Behind Him]
Subject: Spanish romances; Sempronio (Fictitious character); Pármeno (Fictitious character); Alguacil; Justice; Punishment; Executions; Public executions; Decapitation; Murder; Death; Crowds
Period: 1500-1550;
Geographic: Germany; Augsburg (Germany); Free Imperial City of Augsburg; Holy Roman Empire
Description: After murdering Celestina, Pármeno (lying dead on the stretcher) and Sempronio (on his knees in the foreground) jump from a third storey window in her house and are captured by the alguacil’s (justice’s) men. The justice then sentences them to execution by public decapitation. Crowds gather to witness the proceedings (as seen in this illustration). Sosia, one of Calisto’s servants, witnesses the event and rushes to inform his master. Tristan, another of Calisto’s servants, sees Sosia walking toward the house in tears and asks him the nature of his sorrow. Sosia explains the events that had unfolded. They ascend to Calisto’s bedroom and inform him of the tragic news, and he becomes melancholic. When he asks the cause of their execution, Sosia explains that they murdered Celestina because she would not give them their share of Calisto’s gold chain. Calisto blames the unfortunate circumstances on Celestina’s treacherous and deceptive ways.
Image Creator: Hans Weiditz (Illustrator); Marx Wirsung (Printer); Sigismund Grymm (Printer)
Type: StillImage; Wood engraving
Identifier: mta:20013
Source Name: Ain hipsche Tragedia von zwaien liebhabenden mentschen ainem Ritter Calixstus unn ainer Edlen junckfrawen Melibia genannt/ deren anfang müesam was/ das mittel sieß mit dem aller bittersten ir bayder sterben beschlossen.
Parent Collection: 1520 Augsbery Weiditz, Wirsung & Grymm (Coloured)
Image: mta_20013_OBJ.png

Media: mta_20013_OBJ.png