St. Peter Nolscus 1620 - 1953

Nicolas Pitau created this engraving of St. Peter Nolscus in the late 17th or early 18th century. This print, now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum, invites us to consider the public role of religious imagery in early modern Europe. The visual codes of this image, such as the saint's robe, halo, and raised hand in blessing, mark him as a figure of divine authority. The chains and manacles to the right of St. Peter represent the Order of Our Lady of Ransom, also known as the Mercedarians. Founded by Nolscus, the Order was dedicated to ransoming enslaved Christians held by Muslims. Prints such as this one served to disseminate religious ideas among a wide audience. They also reinforced the authority of the Catholic Church and its saints in an era of religious and political upheaval. We may better understand the socio-political context of this print through archival research into the history of the Mercedarians as well as the print market of the time.