De drie koningen in een droom gewaarschuwd 1585

This engraving, "The Three Kings Warned in a Dream" was made by Johann Sadeler I around the late 16th century. The image depicts a scene from the Gospel of Matthew, where an angel warns the Magi not to return to Herod after visiting the newborn Jesus. Sadeler was a Flemish engraver working in the Northern Renaissance style. This print reflects the religious and political climate of the time. The story of the Magi, with its themes of divine intervention and resistance to earthly power, would have resonated with audiences living through the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. The image subtly comments on the political structures of its own time, suggesting that even kings are subject to divine will. To understand this work better, a historian would look into the religious conflicts of the 16th century. We would consider the role of printmaking in disseminating religious ideas, and analyze the iconography of angels and kings in Renaissance art. Considering this artwork is contingent on its social and institutional context deepens our understanding of its meaning and impact.