Vroomheid c. 1585 - 1590

Philips Galle created this engraving, entitled "Vroomheid", sometime between 1537 and 1612. It’s now part of the collection here at the Rijksmuseum. The image depicts a woman, labeled as "Pietas," or piety, in the print, with a stork, rosary beads, and an altar in flames. Galle was from Antwerp, a city that, in the 16th century, was at the heart of the religious and political struggles that defined the Reformation. Galle’s family ran a printing shop that, among other things, produced propaganda for the Catholic Church during this period of iconoclasm. Prints like this one helped to reinforce the Church’s teachings on morality, and the image itself is filled with cultural references. The stork was thought to be exceptionally dutiful to its parents, so it represented piety. The rosary is an obvious symbol of devotion, while the flaming altar speaks to the importance of religious sacrifice. Understanding this work requires careful research into the religious and political history of 16th century Europe. It reminds us that art is always made in a specific time and place, and is often shaped by powerful institutions.