This painting is a depiction of Marie-Joseph Angélique. Angélique was an enslaved Black woman in Montréal Québec, Canada. In 1734, she was charged with arson after a fire leveled Montréal's merchants' quarter. It was alleged that Angélique committed the act while attempting to flee her bondage. She was convicted, tortured, and hanged. Angélique’s story has come to symbolize Black resistance and freedom. Pay close attention to the owl and the flames in the painting.