Heilige Martha als kluizenares 1644

This engraving of Saint Martha as a hermit was made by Christoffel van Sichem the Younger, an artist working in the Northern Netherlands, probably in the early to mid-17th century. The image, with its stark contrasts and dramatic lighting, reflects the influence of the Catholic Counter-Reformation on Dutch art. Sichem's choice to depict Martha as a hermit could be interpreted as a commentary on the social structures of his time. The figure of the solitary hermit contrasts with the communal values of Dutch society. Note the light. It illuminates her face but leaves her body in shadow. The darkness in the picture represents her estrangement from worldly things. Looking at this engraving as a historian, I would research the role of female saints in the Dutch Republic and how these religious icons were reinterpreted in the context of a changing society. Through this kind of investigation, we can better understand the social and institutional forces that shaped Sichem's work.