The dream of St Joseph, who is sleeping at the right, the Virgin and Child by a cross surrounded by angels and many putti and with God the Father above 1600 - 1650

Pietro Testa made this print of "The Dream of Saint Joseph" using etching, a new technology, in 17th-century Italy. Religious imagery like this one played a crucial role in Counter-Reformation Italy, conveying complex theological ideas in a visually engaging way. Testa’s image shows a moment from the Gospel of Matthew, when an angel appears to Joseph in a dream, warning him to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus to escape Herod's massacre of infants. The composition is divided between the earthly and the divine, full of dramatic gestures that activate a powerful emotional response. Art historians consult period documents such as theological treatises and artists' biographies to understand better the social function of religious art in its time. By considering the institutional history of the Catholic Church, we may better understand the complex interplay of religious and political power in Baroque Italy.