De heilige Christoffel 1590 - 1632

Pieter de Jode the Elder created this engraving of Saint Christopher sometime between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, is shown here carrying the Christ Child across a body of water. This image speaks to the period's intense religious feeling and the role of the Church in everyday life. Made in the Southern Netherlands, we can see the visual codes of the Catholic Reformation at play. Consider the visual representation of the saint himself: the artist links the humble ferryman and the divine savior. This is a theme that would have resonated with a society structured by rigid hierarchies of class and religious authority. The historical context here is crucial; the print comes at a time when the Catholic Church sought to reaffirm its power. Understanding this print involves delving into the religious, political, and institutional history of the period. Research into the Counter-Reformation, the lives of saints, and the patronage of religious art would shed further light on its meaning.