Christ Denounces the Scribes and Pharisees c. 1576 - 1580

Léonard Gaultier made this engraving, Christ Denounces the Scribes and Pharisees, in France sometime between 1580 and 1640. This would have been a period of intense religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants. Gaultier's engraving depicts a scene from the Gospel of Matthew, in which Christ criticizes the religious leaders of his time. He accuses them of hypocrisy, of focusing on outward appearances rather than inward piety. This was a common theme in Protestant critiques of the Catholic Church. By choosing this scene, Gaultier may have been subtly commenting on the religious and political issues of his own time. What source material would Gaultier have used in the creation of this image? Knowing the institutional history of printmaking could lead us to relevant archives, libraries, and collections. Studying Gaultier's sources can provide insight into the social context in which he was working, and the ways in which he sought to engage with the religious and political debates of his time.