Saint Carl Borromäus Giving Extreme Unction to the Plague-Stricken. 1700 - 1754

Johann Daniel Herz the Elder made this etching, depicting Saint Carl Borromäus administering the last rites, sometime in the first half of the 18th century. The print presents us with a vision of Catholic charity in the face of mass death, likely meant to inspire the viewer towards acts of Christian compassion. The scene is awash with allegorical meaning. The Baroque style—popular throughout Europe at the time—is put to work here in the service of the Church. The angels in the upper portion of the print, and the architectural details, amplify the spiritual qualities of the scene. Prints such as this one were often commissioned by religious orders or charities to promote specific ideals, and historians of the period will be able to tell you about the social and political importance of images such as this one, which is contingent on a specific time and place.