Sankt Judas Taddæus 1598 - 1601

Nicolaes de Bruyn created this engraving of Sankt Judas Taddæus during a period of religious reformation and conflict in Europe. De Bruyn, working in the Netherlands, navigated a world where religious imagery was both a powerful tool for faith and a potential source of controversy. Here, Saint Jude is depicted with his traditional attributes: a club or cross, symbolizing his martyrdom, and a book, representing his faith. De Bruyn’s engraving invites a dialogue about power, belief, and identity. Consider the emotional weight carried by Saint Jude as he gazes towards the heavens, seemingly detached from the turmoil below. The figures in the background, caught between salvation and damnation, embody the spiritual struggles of the time. This image both reinforces traditional religious narratives and subtly questions them by emphasizing the personal, internal experience of faith amidst external chaos.