Maria met Christus en Johannes 1650 - 1670

D. Claessens created this print, Maria met Christus en Johannes, using etching. This work depicts a meeting between Mary, the infant Jesus, and John the Baptist. In the context of its time, this intimate, familial scene reflects the Catholic Church's emphasis on the humanity of Jesus and the importance of Mary as an intercessor. The work also reflects the social structures of the time by reinforcing traditional gender roles. Mary is depicted as nurturing and maternal, while Jesus and John are shown as innocent and dependent. Prints like these were widely circulated. Religious orders and lay people used them to contemplate the mysteries of their faith in private devotion. If we want to better understand the significance of this image, we might want to ask ourselves about the artist’s affiliation, and about the histories of the groups that used and collected prints such as this.