Drowning of Anabaptist

 

This image is depicting an Anabaptist tied up and being lowered into a river to be drowned. I researched information on this image, searching for its artist, date of production, or even what it is (woodcut or sketch), however, I failed too find any information on it. Despite my lack of knowledge of its origin I do find it intriguing. To me it appears to be a woodcut. This interpretation is based on the boldness of the lines and the artists way of shading seems to be multiple bold lines instead of a fade of colors a viewer would typically see with a painting or sketch. However, I am not an art major and am more than likely completely wrong.
Whether or not this image is a wood cut or not, it is still important and exposes the viewer to an act done in history. This act was the drowning of the Anabaptist. During the reformation, Anabaptists were considered radicals and strongly discriminated and considered heretics because they believed people shouldn't be baptized until they were an adult and truly knew and understood the commitment they were making to God when they were saved an baptized. Out of humor of this belief a common death for them was to be drowned, or also known as their "third baptism".