Gevelsculptuur van de heilige Ursula 1877 - 1880

Jac van Looij made this pencil drawing of the facade sculpture of Saint Ursula. Ursula was a popular figure in late medieval Europe. Legend says that she was a virgin princess who, along with 11,000 virgin companions, was murdered by the Huns. The story speaks to the high value placed on female purity and the dangers faced by women in a patriarchal society. Ursula became the patron saint of young girls, students, and educators. Made in the Netherlands, this drawing provides valuable insight into the artistic process and the role of religious imagery in public spaces. Van Looij's sketch may have been a preliminary study for a larger project, reflecting a wider artistic trend of incorporating religious themes into civic architecture. To better understand this drawing, archival research into the urban planning of Amsterdam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries would be invaluable. By exploring such resources, we can begin to understand the social and institutional contexts that shaped this artwork.