Christus en dansende kinderen 1652 - 1707

Gérard Edelinck made this print, Christus en dansende kinderen, sometime in the 17th century using etching. The image depicts a bust of Christ hovering over a group of children dancing in a circle. This print reflects a broader cultural preoccupation with childhood innocence. In the 17th century, childhood became a more clearly defined stage of life, and it emerged as a subject for artistic and philosophical consideration. The image of Christ blessing and protecting children reinforced the idea of children as emblems of purity and divine grace. Edelinck, who worked in France, would have been aware of institutional changes in the way the Catholic church approached the education of young children. To understand the ways in which this print might have contributed to contemporary debates about this topic, we would need to study theological texts, and the archives of the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. This would provide insight into the social forces that shaped artistic production during this period.