Onschuld 1640

Cornelis Bloemaert made this engraving, titled "Innocence," in the Netherlands, sometime in the 17th century. The image depicts a woman, garlanded with flowers, who pets a lion. Above her, an angel hangs from a tree and adds more floral decoration. The theme of innocence can be interpreted through the lens of the Dutch Republic's social and religious context. The Republic, newly independent, sought to define itself through virtues like purity and moral uprightness. Cornelis was catholic and although the dutch republic was protestant, there was a notable catholic presence. The woman's calm demeanor and the lion's gentleness suggest a world where natural harmony prevails. The lion in this case would be a common symbol of royalty, the royalty that the Dutch Republic was rejecting, and its 'taming' could have been a commentary on the changing of social structures. To fully understand this work, we can consult emblem books and historical texts that reveal the period's complex attitudes toward nature, morality, and national identity. The meaning of art is always tied to the time and place of its creation.