H. Norbertus van Maagdenburg c. 1586 - 1633

Cornelis Galle I created this engraving of H. Norbertus van Maagdenburg, a Bishop of the Catholic Church, sometime between 1576 and 1650. The work offers a view into the religious and social structures of the time. Within an ornate frame adorned with religious symbols and imagery, the central figure is depicted in a formal pose, holding religious iconography. The architecture in the background and the Latin text suggest the importance of religious institutions in society and in the construction of historical narratives. The social hierarchy of the church is reinforced with its high-ranking members. As historians, our task is to research the context of the piece, including information about Galle, the Catholic church, and the visual conventions of religious portraiture at the time. From this and other works, we can learn more about the intersection of art, religion, and society in the early modern period.