Petrus wordt uit de gevangenis bevrijd 1657

Hendrik Bary created "Petrus wordt uit de gevangenis bevrijd", or "Peter Freed from Prison" as an engraving around 1657. It depicts a biblical scene amidst the backdrop of the Dutch Golden Age. The guards are asleep while angels are freeing Peter from his chains. Engravings like this one were significant cultural tools in the 17th century. During a time of religious and political upheaval, they had the power to spread messages and ideas to a wide audience. Bary himself had a complex relationship to the religious and social expectations of his time. His personal experiences may have led him to this subject matter. Note how the two sleeping guards are the image of idleness, juxtaposed with Peter’s moment of divine intervention and salvation. In a society that was heavily structured by religious belief, the image might touch on the emotional and spiritual longings of the people. It also reflects social issues, such as the experience of imprisonment or the desire for freedom.