Heilige Geneviève vertrekt met haar kind c. 1575 - 1600

Philips Galle created this engraving, Heilige Geneviève vertrekt met haar kind, in the Netherlands in the late 16th century. At this time, the role of art was very much tied to religious, political, and social institutions. Here, Galle depicts Saint Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris, being expelled from her homeland with her child. The image creates meaning through visual codes familiar to the period. The detailed landscape with its idyllic village and windmill emphasizes the loss and displacement experienced by Genevieve and her family. Galle’s Netherlands was undergoing religious and political upheaval, and this print reflects the anxieties of a society in transition. It speaks to the plight of the displaced, and the social conditions that shaped artistic production. Understanding this work fully requires research into the religious and political history of the Netherlands at that time. By studying such contexts, we can better understand art's power to challenge or reinforce existing social norms.