Apostel Filippus c. 1590 - 1637

This is Egbert van Panderen's engraving of Apostel Filippus, made sometime in the early 17th century. Van Panderen was working in a Dutch Republic newly independent from Spain, a place where the previously strict aesthetic dictates of religious art were being reconsidered. Here, Filippus is not simply a symbol of faith, but also a man marked by age. His hand is held to his chest, a gesture of devotion, and he holds a cross, yet the weight of his years is evident. The engraving captures a tension; it subtly introduces humanism into a religious narrative. What does it mean to depict a saint with such visible signs of aging? This tension reflects the changing cultural and social values of the time, where individual experience began to intertwine with traditional religious representation. In looking at Filippus, perhaps we see not just a saint, but a reflection of ourselves, mortal and marked by time, seeking meaning.