Heiligen 1800 - 1833

This is ‘Heiligen’, a print by Philippus Jacobus Brepols, made without a specified date. The work presents a grid of small, rectangular portraits, each depicting a different saint rendered with a delicate touch. The composition employs a strict formal structure, using repetition to create a sense of order and unity across the diverse figures. The limited colour palette—primarily reds, yellows, and blues—functions almost as a semiotic system. These colours define each saint, signifying their roles, and constructing an easily readable visual language. This method also flattens the forms, abstracting them, and drawing focus to the surface pattern. Brepols challenges established meanings, creating a democratized field of representation where each saint is equally presented and valued. Each element contributes to a larger discourse on faith and representation, using simple means to engage with profound cultural ideas.