Wijze maagd met brandende olielamp in landschap 1518

Niklaus Manuel Deutsch created this woodcut of a wise virgin with a burning oil lamp sometime in the first third of the 16th century. The image evokes a moment of profound social and religious transformation: the Reformation. As the Protestant Reformation gained momentum in Germanic regions, figures such as Deutsch used art to express their vision for the future. This image of the wise virgin, with her gaze directed off toward the horizon, served as a powerful symbol of spiritual vigilance. The lamp she carries illuminates a path toward moral righteousness, set against a landscape dotted with traditional symbols of worldly authority like castles and heraldic plants. The location, probably Switzerland, was steeped in the religious debates of the time, so these symbols are a direct challenge to traditional institutions of power. By studying Reformation-era pamphlets and religious tracts alongside images like this one, we can understand how art fueled these seismic shifts in cultural norms and social practice.