Jakobus de Meerdere 1608 - 1649

This engraving of Saint James the Greater was made by Claude Mellan in seventeenth-century France. In it, we see James holding a pilgrim’s staff and a book, symbols of his missionary work. In the background we see a scene from his martyrdom. Mellan was working at a time when religious images were tools of statecraft. The Catholic Church, still recovering from the rise of Protestantism, sought to reassert its authority through art. Prints like this were thus both devotional objects, intended to inspire personal piety, and instruments of public persuasion. Mellan would have been keenly aware of the politics of imagery and the power of art to shape public opinion. To fully understand this work, we must consider the religious, political, and social context in which it was made. Resources such as historical documents, theological treatises, and biographies of the artist can provide valuable insights. By examining these sources, we can gain a deeper appreciation of the complex interplay between art and society.