Priester ontdekt lessenaar 1718

Bernard Picart created this print, Priester ontdekt lessenaar, sometime between 1673 and 1733. The image depicts a priest and a younger man in formal wear examining a triangular lectern. The setting appears to be a church or some other formal interior space. Picart was a French engraver who became famous for his religious and mythological illustrations, but he is also known for his critical depictions of religious ceremonies. This image, with its satirical tone, could be interpreted as a commentary on the Catholic Church. France in the 17th and 18th centuries was a place of strict social hierarchies and religious customs. Aristocrats and members of the clergy were often the subject of ridicule by Enlightenment thinkers. If we do some more research into Picart's other satirical work, and the wider social context of religious critique in France at this time, we could gain a richer understanding of what this image meant to its contemporary audience.