Monument voor het derde eeuwfeest van de Hervorming, 1517-1817 1814 - 1817

This drawing was made by Willem Hendrik Hoogkamer, in the Netherlands, to commemorate the third centenary of the Reformation. Its iconography gives us some clues as to its cultural and social context. The imagery of angels, light, and the all-seeing eye gives the print a religious and spiritual quality, while the portrait of Martin Luther and the inscription referring to the Reformation point to the historical significance of the event being celebrated. The lion with books and broken instruments in the bottom left may represent ignorance being defeated by knowledge and music. Made in 1817, the image is a commentary on the Protestant Reformation. It reflects the values and beliefs of Dutch Protestant culture in the early 19th century. Art historians can contextualize the image further by researching the Dutch Reformed Church and analyzing contemporary publications to fully understand the artwork's meaning.