Fotoreproductie van een tekening, voorstellende de heilige Cecilia bespeelt een orgel met op de achtergrond zingende engelen before 1893

This is a photomechanical reproduction of an anonymous drawing, depicting Saint Cecilia playing an organ with singing angels in the background. Such devotional images have a long history within the Catholic Church and were particularly prevalent in the 19th century across Europe. In the wake of social upheaval, the church sought to reaffirm its authority and traditional values. These inexpensive reproductions played a key role in disseminating religious imagery to a wider audience. Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music, became a popular subject, embodying the spiritual power of harmony and divine grace. The mass production and distribution of images like this one reflected the changing landscape of religious devotion and the increasing influence of print culture in everyday life. Historians of religion and popular culture can shed light on how such imagery was used and understood within specific communities, revealing the complex interplay between faith, art, and social change. The image serves as a window onto the religious practices and cultural values of its time.