Madonna op de maansikkel 1523

Lucas van Leyden created this small engraving of the Madonna and Child in 1523. As a widely reproduced image it spoke to the religious culture of the Netherlands at a time of great change. The Virgin Mary standing on a crescent moon with the infant Jesus references the Book of Revelation and the immaculate conception. This imagery functioned within the teachings of the Catholic Church, reinforcing its power in the face of the emerging Protestant reformation. Van Leyden’s choice of engraving as a medium is significant. The relative ease of its production, compared to painting, meant that it was widely available to a growing market for religious imagery. Today, the artwork’s presence in the Rijksmuseum allows us to examine the complex relationships between religious expression, artistic production, and the social changes of the 16th century. By studying historical documents and cultural contexts, we can better understand the multifaceted meanings embedded within this image.