Stamboom van Jezuïtische heiligen 1747 - 1757

Curator: This is "Stamboom van Jezuïtische heiligen," or "Family Tree of Jesuit Saints," an engraving created between 1747 and 1757. Editor: It’s visually arresting. A bit austere, with that tight engraving style, but the radiating lines behind each figure lend it a celebratory air. The tree structure immediately captures attention. Curator: Indeed, the image functions as a visual representation of the Jesuit order’s lineage, with Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder, acting as the root of the tree. Each branch bears the portraits of prominent Jesuit saints. This was produced at a time of Baroque exuberance that used elaborate allegories of kinship. The iconography highlights the perceived virtuous lineage that Ignatius passed on to future Saints. Editor: I’m particularly drawn to the dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, hovering above the central blossom. It's as if the whole order is divinely sanctioned, almost breathing, as it occupies the center of this blossoming lotus or waterlily with emanating sunbeams, while also being connected to that solid root, the prone figure of Ignatius. Curator: Precisely. This arrangement underscored the Jesuit order’s dedication to theological and intellectual pursuits but more so its internationalization through diverse global Saints from Asia and Europe. A fascinating display of institution-building through imagery! The print served as a promotional tool for the Jesuits. Editor: Thinking of symbols carrying emotional weight, the choice of a tree – with all its implicit connotations of growth, connection, and deeply-rooted stability, withstanding time's travails - makes the claim rather effective, to the order itself and for others who might align with the principles this family stands for. Curator: It also reveals much about the function of imagery in that era and what religious orders considered important to broadcast as part of their public image. The international character would, by this logic, represent a very important concern to communicate in light of their activities in the far East. Editor: And perhaps now it offers insight into a fascinating moment in that society's history, seen through the values the image seems keen to elevate and amplify in service of the church. Curator: A moment framed and formalized as a familial tree. An artfully designed piece of political messaging!