[Act XIII – Sempronio and Pármeno are Executed for the Murder of Celestina] · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: [Act XIII – Sempronio and Pármeno are Executed for the Murder of Celestina]
Subject: Spanish romances; Sosia (Fictitious character); Tristan (Fictitious character); Sempronio (Fictitious character); Pármeno (Fictitious character); Alguacil; Murder; Executions; Decapitation; Punishment; Justice; Death; Swords; Gallows; Hats
Period: 1550-1600;
Geographic: Belgium; Antwerp (Belgium); Spanish Netherlands
Description: After Sosia informs Tristan that Sempronio and Pármeno are dead, they go and wake Calisto to inform him of the news. Sosia tells him that they have been decapitated by the executioner on the order of the justice (the ‘alguacil’). Calisto is struck with grief, and he asks Sosia to tell him the reason for their execution. Sosia explains that they were guilty of murdering Celestina because she would not share the gold chain that Calisto had given her. This image depicts the decapitation scene. Pármeno appears to have been beheaded first (his head is in the bottom right corner), while Sempronio is on his knees awaiting his fate. The executioner has his right hand placed on Sempronio’s head, and his sword is drawn upward in his left hand. Something odd is happening around the executioner's waist, making it appear connected to the background (likely through a printing/engraving error). There are three figures to the right of the image, perhaps the alguacil’s men (although one of them may be Sosia). One is riding a horse, and another is standing with a spear of some sort in his right hand. The central of these three figures is odd, since everything below his collarbone appears to be missing (also likely through a printing/engraving error). These three figures are all wearing hats. Immediately behind the executioner we see what appears to be gallows, and to the left of this we see buildings.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver); Heyndric Heyndricxz (Printer)
Type: StillImage; (Wood?) Engraving
Identifier: mta:18198
Source Name: Celestina, Een Tragicomedie van Calisto ende Melibea, inde welcke (buyten haren playsanten ende zoeten zin) staen veel profijtelijcke sententien oft spreecwoorden, ende veel nootzakelijcke waerschouwinghen, byzonder voor Jonghe-ghezellen, betoonende het groot bedroch vande Pluymstrijckers, van de ontrouwe Dienaers, ende voor al van de Koppelerssen en̄ lichte Vrouwē.
Parent Collection: 1580 Antwerp Heyndricz; 1580 Antwerp Heyndricz
Image: mta_18198_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Celestina
Subject: Spanish romances; Sosia (Fictitious character); Tristan (Fictitious character); Sempronio (Fictitious character); Pármeno (Fictitious character); Alguacil; Murder; Executions; Decapitation; Punishment; Justice; Death; Swords; Gallows; Hats

Media: mta_18198_OBJ.jpg