Mater Dolorosa 1588 - 1595

Johann Sadeler I created this engraving of the Mater Dolorosa, or Sorrowful Mother, at the end of the 16th century. The image depicts the Virgin Mary with a sword piercing her chest, symbolizing the pain she endured witnessing the suffering and death of her son, Jesus Christ. Sadeler was a Flemish artist working at a time when the Catholic Church used images strategically to reinforce religious doctrine and inspire piety among the faithful. Produced in the Netherlands, this print reflects the religious and political tensions of the period. The Northern Renaissance saw a rise in more personal, emotional forms of religious devotion. The image of the Mater Dolorosa provided an accessible way to connect with the suffering of Christ on a human level. Studying prints and other widely distributed images from this time can tell us a great deal about the social role of art and the ways people made sense of their place in the world.