The Birth of the Virgin 

Giovanni Battista Fontana created this small engraving, The Birth of the Virgin, sometime in the second half of the 16th century. The scene depicts the traditional story of the Virgin Mary's birth to her parents, Anne and Joachim, attended by midwives. Produced in Italy during the Counter-Reformation, this print reflects the period's renewed emphasis on religious orthodoxy and the promotion of key Catholic figures, particularly the Virgin Mary. This was a period when the Church authorities sought to harness the power of images to reinforce religious doctrine and inspire piety among the faithful. The print participates in this project by presenting the birth of the Virgin as a miraculous event, emphasizing her purity and divine nature. To understand the image better, one might consult theological treatises and Church records from the period to understand the social and institutional context that gave rise to its creation. Only then can we fully appreciate the ways in which Fontana's print reflects and reinforces the religious and social norms of its time.