Oude bedelende vrouw gezeten voor de basiliek van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Scherpenheuvel 1883

Charles Mertens created this print, 'Old Begging Woman Seated in front of the Basilica of Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel', using etching. Notice how Mertens meticulously employs a play of light and shadow to articulate the woman's aged face, drawing our eye to her expression of weary resignation. The composition, structured by the rigid verticals of the basilica's architecture, frames the seated figure, thereby placing her in the context of religious space, yet also isolates her. This positioning creates a semiotic tension between institutional grandeur and individual destitution. The textural contrast between the smooth surfaces of the basilica and the rough rendering of the woman's clothing and skin invite reflection on the social divisions and human suffering often concealed within societal structures. Mertens' use of etching allows for fine detail, but also for stark contrasts that visually embody the disparities of wealth and poverty. The image offers a silent, critical commentary on the socio-economic landscape.