Heilige Dominicus 1503

Albrecht Durer made this woodcut of Saint Dominic; we don't know when exactly, but it was during his lifetime in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Dominic, the founder of the Dominican Order, is depicted in a simple habit with a halo. The book and lily he carries were symbols of the Order's religious study and purity. In the background, we see a church in a landscape. This image comes out of a very particular set of historical conditions. During the Reformation in Germany, religious imagery was fraught with social and political tensions. On the one hand, the reformers attacked the Catholic church as corrupt and superstitious, including their use of imagery. On the other hand, art was an important way for the Catholic Church to consolidate its power. How did Durer, an artist who socialized with reformers, navigate these concerns? To explore this further, we might look at the historical records of printing, the history of the Dominican order, and Durer's other prints. Understanding this piece means understanding the institutions that gave it meaning.