Biechtstoel in nis c. 1658 - 1670

Jean Lepautre created this print of a confessional in a niche. The design reflects the power and wealth of the Catholic Church in France during the 17th century. Confessionals were important pieces of church furniture, designed to facilitate the sacrament of reconciliation. This print reveals the institutional importance of the church in early modern France. The confessional is ornamented with classical columns, drapery and cherubs. These features would have associated the institution of the church with wealth, power, and authority. The print uses linear perspective to create a grand sense of scale. The confessionals of the time would have been imposing structures. The historian might draw on church records, architectural plans, and social histories of France to better understand the role of confession in the 17th century. The image reminds us that religious institutions are material and historical, not simply spiritual.