Bevrijding van Petrus uit de gevangenis 1675 - 1729

Anthony de Vos created this etching of “The Liberation of St. Peter from Prison” around the turn of the 18th century. De Vos, working in the Dutch Republic, lived in a society shaped by religious, political and cultural shifts following the Reformation. The print depicts a biblical scene from the Acts of the Apostles, where an angel rescues St. Peter from imprisonment. The angel, traditionally gendered, is androgynous here. The heavy lines add drama to the scene. In a society marked by strict social hierarchies, the story would have resonated with notions of divine intervention, offering hope to those facing injustice or oppression. The print allows us to consider how religious narratives can be reinterpreted through an individual lens, reflecting personal beliefs. It serves as a reminder of the emotional power of art to transcend societal constraints.