Fotoreproductie van een schilderij van twee biddende vrouwen before 1884

This is a reproduction of a painting of two women in prayer, dating from an unknown time and place. The image appears alongside a poem called “La Foi” or “The Faith,” which suggests that the picture illustrates that poem. Looking at the image, we can ask what social role faith plays in connecting these two women. One is dressed in a nun’s habit, while the other is in secular dress, leaning on a ladder and looking pensively at the nun. Are they of different social classes? Is one teaching the other? The poem makes reference to science versus faith, so perhaps the image is about faith as an alternative way of knowing. In order to understand this image better, we could research the history of religious orders and the role of women in the church. We might also research the visual codes for representing nuns and laypeople in different periods and places. This artwork is a reminder that meaning is created through historical, social, and cultural context.