Mirakuleus beeld van O.-L.-V. te Scherpenheuvel / Image miraculeuse de N.-D. à Montaigu / De Godzalige huiszegen / La Bénédiction du Ménage 1833 - 1911

This print, by Brepols & Dierckx Zoon, presents two contrasting yet unified devotional images side-by-side, employing a symmetrical layout that invites comparative viewing. The left side features a vision of the Virgin Mary atop a tree, rendered with flattened perspective and bright, localized colors. This is set against a receding architectural landscape populated by praying figures. On the right, a classical depiction of the crucifixion is combined with a praying Mary Magdalene. The artists use the cross as a strong vertical element, visually echoing the tree on the left. The composition relies on a structured division of space, bisecting the image to explore two different modes of religious representation and, perhaps, reflecting the shifting cultural values around sacred imagery. It juxtaposes folk piety with established religious iconography. The materiality of the print itself, with its visible text and graphic lines, serves as a medium through which these divergent devotional approaches are mediated.