Heilige Olympias van Constantinopel als kluizenaarster 1590 - 1662

This is an anonymous engraving of Saint Olympias of Constantinople, made at an unknown date. It shows Saint Olympias as a hermit, kneeling in prayer inside a sparsely furnished room. The skull and cross on the floor are vanitas symbols of death. Olympias's story is an interesting one, showing how the politics of the Eastern Roman Empire affected the lives of even the most privileged women. A noblewoman of Constantinople, Olympias was widowed at a young age, and she devoted herself to charitable works, using her wealth to support the church and care for the poor. But Olympias lived during a time of great religious and political turmoil, and her support for certain church leaders brought her into conflict with the imperial authorities. She was eventually exiled from Constantinople and forced to live in poverty. The image is a window into the visual culture of the print and its role in shaping ideas about female piety. Further research in the archives of religious orders might reveal its commissioner and original location.