Paulus' omvendelse 1573

Maarten van Heemskerck rendered this pen and ink drawing of ‘Paulus' Omvendelse’ in the Netherlands, sometime in the 16th century. It’s a striking interpretation of Paul’s conversion, carrying complex ideas about religious authority. This image creates meaning through its visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. Heemskerck was working during the rise of the Protestant Reformation, and his imagery reflects the intense religious debates of the time. The conversion of Paul, a persecutor of early Christians who then became a key apostle, was a popular subject. Here, Heemskerck portrays Paul as a Roman soldier, blinded and led by his companions after his encounter with Christ. But is it self-consciously conservative or progressive? Does it critique the institutions of art? Understanding the artwork requires that the historian use many research resources in order to reflect on the meaning of art as something contingent on social and institutional context.