Horlogekast tussen twee boeketten c. 1631 - 1736

This print, made by an anonymous artist, presents a curious combination of decoration and religious iconography. Flanking two floral arrangements is a central image of the Virgin and Child with an angel, a composition that suggests a distinctly Catholic sensibility. We can understand this print as a product of the Dutch Republic, likely dating to the 17th or 18th century, a time in which the power of the Catholic Church in the region had waned. The floral arrangements suggest the widespread interest in botany characteristic of the period, itself a product of Dutch global trade and exploration. However, the overt display of Catholic imagery was no longer socially acceptable. This print appears to be intended for use on a clock case. This placement in a domestic setting, combined with its small scale and the integration of secular and religious motifs, suggests the private devotions of a Catholic minority in a newly Protestant society. Further research into the archives of religious orders might reveal more about the identity of the artist and the patronage networks that sustained them.