Vier devotiebeelden Possibly 1700 - 1865

This is a print of four devotional images, made by van der Haeghen. Prints like these were popular in the Netherlands and other parts of Europe. They provided ordinary people with access to religious imagery at a time when the Church was a central institution, but high art was mostly for the elite. Notice that the scenes depict a crucifixion, a Madonna figure, and an angel. These images use established visual codes – like halos – to convey Christian ideas about holiness. The use of Latin phrases also shows the influence of the Church. How would the print have been used? We might imagine it being used in private worship, or displayed in a home. Cheap prints like these helped to shape popular beliefs and devotional practices. They allowed people to create their own relationships with religious figures. To better understand this print, we might study the history of the Catholic Church, the printmaking industry, or popular religious practices. What we find is that this artwork is inseparable from its social and institutional context.