Kroning van Maria c. 1579 - 1581

Agostino Carracci made this engraving, titled "Kroning van Maria", in Italy. In it we see the Virgin Mary being crowned by God and Christ, watched over by angels in heaven. The cultural context for this image is the Counter-Reformation, and the Catholic Church’s response to Protestantism. Protestants questioned the role of the Virgin Mary, so Catholic artists re-emphasized her importance. In this image Mary’s prominent position and the act of her coronation reinforce her status as the Queen of Heaven. We see the politics of imagery at play. The visual codes of religious art were mobilized during times of social change, and the status of powerful religious figures was under discussion. Through a work like this one can come to better understand religious institutions. This is why historical context is so crucial.