En nonne om morgenen i sin celle 1880s

Adolph Kittendorff created this print, "A Nun in Her Cell in the Morning", sometime in the mid-19th century. Its imagery evokes the ritualised daily life of a cloistered religious order. Focusing on this print's social context, it is interesting to consider the concurrent rise of secular institutions. These institutions were devoted to disciplines like scientific research, where knowledge was acquired by empirical methods rather than religious dogma. This print suggests a degree of nostalgia for traditional religious life, perhaps in response to its waning cultural power. We might ask: what is the public role of faith? The crucifix on the wall and the nun's rosary create a symbolic dialogue with the fresh-cut flowers, visualising the eternal promise of rebirth. These objects create meaning through cultural and historical associations. To better understand this print, we might explore 19th-century religious art or read the writings of contemporary religious figures.