Vrouw wijst op een preekstoel 1675 - 1711

This engraving of unknown date and authorship comes to us from the Netherlands. The print shows a woman seated in what appears to be a church or some other religious building. She is pointing to a man speaking from atop an elevated pulpit. The image creates meaning through its classical references. The woman is dressed in drapery reminiscent of ancient Greek or Roman sculpture. The architectural setting also evokes the classical world. The artist seems to be saying that Christianity is a continuation of classical wisdom. But there is something subversive going on here. The woman seems to be instructing us in how to listen to the preacher. Is the artist suggesting that women, who were excluded from the pulpit, have a special insight into religious doctrine? By studying the social and religious context in which this print was made, we can begin to understand its message more fully.