Boekillustratie met passievoorstelling c. 1647 - 1714

This book illustration with a passion scene was made anonymously using pen in the Netherlands. At first glance, it seems a typical religious depiction, with the figure kneeling in prayer as divine light descends. But let's consider the context in which it was created and the institutions that shaped its meaning. This image was made during a period of religious and political upheaval in the Netherlands. The Dutch Republic was a hotbed of new ideas, religious sects and a rising mercantile class. Who was this image intended for? Was it for private devotion, or public display? The ornate frame suggests a desire to elevate the image, to give it authority, perhaps intended to make it accessible to a wide audience, to shape public opinion and private devotion. This type of imagery would have been widely circulated. To fully understand this illustration, we would need to delve into archives of religious pamphlets, records of print shops, and the personal diaries of the period. Only then can we understand this image, not just as a representation of a religious story, but as a cultural artifact shaped by its time.