Maria als hemelkoningin staand op de maansikkel c. 1530

Lucas van Leyden created this engraving of ‘Maria as Queen of Heaven, Standing on the Crescent Moon’ sometime in the early 16th century. This image draws from a rich tradition of Catholic Marian imagery, but also reflects the specific social and religious anxieties of the Netherlands during the early Reformation. The figure of Mary as Queen of Heaven had long been associated with intercession and protection. Here, Mary's elevated position and serene expression offers a vision of divine grace at a time when the Catholic Church's authority was being challenged and new religious ideas were spreading rapidly through printed pamphlets and books. The printmaking medium itself played a crucial role in disseminating such images, making them accessible to a wider audience beyond the traditional confines of the church. To understand this artwork better, we can consult historical sources like religious texts, pamphlets from the Reformation era, and records from printmaking workshops. By considering the social and institutional context, we recognize the meaning of art as contingent on its time, place, and reception.