Illustration from Beschlossen Gart des Rosenkranz Mariae 1500 - 1545

This is a small woodcut from the early 16th century, made in Germany by Hans Baldung, as an illustration for a devotional book. The image presents the Holy Trinity with God the Father and Christ enthroned above kneeling worshippers. This image, although small, is densely packed with Christian symbolism and meaning. It creates that meaning through visual codes that would have been very familiar at the time. The borders of the woodcut for example, show stylized plants and animals. These refer to the enclosed garden from the Song of Songs, and act as a symbol of the Virgin Mary. In this period, religious images such as this one played an important role in shaping social life. Understanding an image like this one relies on an understanding of the social and religious history of its time. Researching the artist, the religious order for which this book was made, and the cultural context of the time can all bring us closer to understanding the artwork. Art, as we see it here, is always contingent on social and institutional context.