Gezicht op de Sint-Lievensmonstertoren en -kerk te Zierikzee before 1696

Pieter Vogelaer made this print of the Saint Lievensmonster tower and church in Zierikzee using etching around 1700. Views such as these were very popular in the Netherlands at that time. This one is interesting because Vogelaer was not only interested in architectural depiction, but also in the kind of religious symbolism that would have appealed to Counter-Reformist tastes. The figure of Faith sits enthroned on clouds above the architectural scene. She is flanked by angels. The one on the left holds a flame and a veil, while the other holds a blank shield, presumably for the symbols of the Catholic Church. Zierikzee had a complex religious history. Although it became Protestant in 1576, Catholicism remained, often practiced in secret. Vogelaer may have been involved in this religious community. The image can also be seen as a commentary on the role of religious institutions in society, reflecting the ongoing tensions of the period. To understand this etching better, we could research the religious history of Zierikzee.