Embleem met engel die geestelijke toont dat de duivel na de dood van een zondaar de ziel komt halen 1620 - 1649

This emblem, made by an anonymous artist, is an engraving with etching. It presents a moralizing scene of death and judgment. This image creates meaning through visual codes and cultural references, steeped in the religious anxieties of its time, likely the 17th century. The Netherlands was in the throes of religious upheaval, and the visual language of sin, death, and redemption was a powerful tool in shaping public morality. Look at the angel confronting the devil who comes to take the soul of the sinner. The artist draws on established religious imagery, but also incorporates contemporary details. The print’s engagement with questions of morality suggests an artist deeply embedded in the cultural and religious debates of their time. Art historians can use a range of resources—religious tracts, social histories, and visual culture studies—to better understand the print's place within its original context. Examining the print in relation to its contemporary moment reveals how art reflects and shapes social and institutional forces.