Heilige Bruno 1644

Mattheus Borrekens created this print of Heilige Bruno, or Saint Bruno, sometime in the 17th century. Borrekens created this print during the Counter-Reformation, a period when the Catholic Church sought to reaffirm its authority through art, which frequently featured images of saints and religious figures. Bruno of Cologne founded the Carthusian Order, known for its commitment to silence, solitude, and prayer. Borrekens invokes Bruno's identity as an ascetic monk through the saint's simple robe, the halo around his head, and the branch and book he holds. Yet, there is a tension in this print. The sword and mitre at Bruno’s feet symbolize worldly power, which he renounced. We can read this work as more than a straightforward depiction of religious devotion. Instead, Borrekens asks us to consider the complex relationship between spiritual dedication and the material world, a theme that continues to resonate today.