Plechtigheden tijdens de Heilige Mis 1722

Bernard Picart created this print, "Ceremonies of the Lower Masses Represented in Thirty-Five Figures" sometime between 1693 and 1733, using etching and engraving. The print illustrates a series of small scenes from Catholic Mass. Each scene depicts a priest and altar boy performing a different ritual in front of an altarpiece portraying the Passion of Christ. Picart was French, but spent much of his career in Amsterdam. He was deeply involved in the religious debates of his day. Though raised Catholic, he eventually became a Protestant. Here, though, he depicts Catholic mass with great interest. He also collaborated on religious books. The print illustrates the way that religious institutions organized the ritual of mass, and how it relates to the story of Christ. As historians, we look to understand the artist and institutional context. By consulting historical documents, we can come to learn more about the specific religious debates that may have informed Picart's art. The meaning of this art is contingent on this context.