Perfectionis Ascensio from The Life of Saint John of the Cross 1622 - 1624

Antonius Wierix III created this engraving, "Perfectionis Ascensio from The Life of Saint John of the Cross," at a time when religious imagery was deeply entwined with political power. Wierix positions Saint John of the Cross in the center, winged and standing atop a globe. Encircling him is a triangular rosary, pointing towards the divine. Saint John, a key figure in the Counter-Reformation, sought a more personal connection to the divine, a sentiment that was often at odds with the rigid structures of the Church. His identity as a reformer is visualized here through the tension between earthly and heavenly realms, reflected in his upward gaze. The engraving embodies the emotional intensity of religious experience, inviting us to consider the complexities of faith, identity, and the search for transcendence during this period.