Bewening before 1693

Francois de Poilly made this print, "Bewening," in France during the latter half of the 17th century. The print shows a scene of mourning over the body of Christ. It uses a visual language that was widespread at the time to convey both religious and political ideas. During the 17th century, the Catholic Church played a key role in shaping cultural values. Prints like this one were a medium for circulating ideas about piety, sacrifice, and divine authority. The image would originally have been consumed in a religious institution. However, it's not just a straightforward illustration of religious doctrine. The print seems to comment on the social structures of its time. The figures are positioned in a way that evokes a sense of communal grief, perhaps reflecting on broader social inequalities and the suffering of the common people. To understand the print better, one might want to look at the history of religious institutions in 17th-century France, as well as the social and political movements of the time. Art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.