Beeldenstorm in de Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal te Antwerpen, 1566 1650 - 1695

Gaspar Bouttats created this print depicting the “Beeldenstorm in de Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal te Antwerpen, 1566.” It captures a moment of intense religious and social upheaval. The image presents the event known as the "Beeldenstorm," or Iconoclastic Fury, in Antwerp. This wave of iconoclasm spread through the Netherlands in 1566, fueled by religious tensions between Catholics and Protestants. We see the destruction of religious images and symbols within the cathedral by mobs of people. Made in the latter half of the 17th century, Bouttats’ print looks back on this event in the context of ongoing religious and political conflict in the region. It can be regarded as a document of cultural memory, reflecting the ways in which the Beeldenstorm continued to shape collective identity. The print underscores the public role of art and the politics of imagery during the Reformation. By consulting historical records, pamphlets, and theological tracts, we can better understand the complex social conditions that shaped this pivotal moment in European history.