Aflaatbrief gegeven door Joannes Angelus Arcimboldus, 1517 1827 - 1829

This 1827-1829 artwork by Johannes Paulus Houtman (1803-1845) titled "Aflaatbrief gegeven door Joannes Angelus Arcimboldus, 1517" is an example of a historical document, specifically a letter of indulgence. The document is written in Latin and offers forgiveness of sins and a reduction of punishment in the afterlife, often granted by the Church in exchange for financial contributions. The artist's meticulous rendering of the text and the coat of arms adds to the historical and visual significance of this work, now held in the Rijksmuseum.