Girl carrying a crucifix and stepping toward a pilaster, seen from behind 1585 - 1605

Guido Reni, who lived from 1575 to 1642, made this print called, Girl carrying a crucifix and stepping toward a pilaster, seen from behind. Consider the role of women in the 17th century. Their lives were often confined to domestic and religious duties. This image presents a young girl, seen from behind, carrying a crucifix and moving towards a pilaster. The use of a child suggests innocence and purity, reinforcing traditional gender roles. The crucifix symbolizes religious devotion and sacrifice, echoing the expectations placed on women to embody these virtues. We can read the girl’s turn away from us as symbolic of her private world of faith, while the motion towards the pilaster could suggest a forward trajectory into a life lived in accordance to religious doctrine. The girl's figure, draped in simple clothing, evokes both vulnerability and determination. The emotional tension between innocence and the weight of religious expectations is palpable. It offers a glimpse into the complex intersection of gender, religion, and identity in the early modern period.