Embleem met de mens die zich in alles bewust is van de alomtegenwoordigheid van God 1620 - 1649

This anonymous emblem print resides in the Rijksmuseum and explores the omnipresence of God, likely made in the Netherlands during the 17th century. Emblem books like this one were popular amongst the educated merchant classes of the Dutch Republic. The image creates meaning through the use of symbolic visual codes. Divine light shines down upon every aspect of Dutch society, from the merchant ships in the harbor to the scholars studying in their chambers. The artist presents a worldview that reflects the values of the dominant Calvinist faith which emphasizes God’s influence in all aspects of daily life. The social conditions that shaped this artwork include a mercantile economy and a religious culture. For historians, resources such as emblem books, religious tracts, and economic data can shed further light on the meaning of this print and the mindset of its original audience. Art history, after all, is contingent on social and institutional context.