H. Judas Taddëus 1623

Lucas Kilian created this engraving of H. Judas Taddëus in Germany sometime in the early 17th century. Kilian specialized in engravings and prints, media that were becoming increasingly important for disseminating religious imagery during the Reformation. The figure of St. Jude is framed by an arch, his name emblazoned on the plinth beneath him. The Latin inscription curves around the arch above his head. Note the halo that denotes his holiness. The staff may refer to Jude's role as a missionary. We might read this image as an ideal of masculine strength and saintly virtue. But we should remember that the image also served a social function. It helped to define and reinforce religious identity, and it spoke to larger debates about the role of images in religious life. To fully understand this print, we might consult theological texts, histories of the Reformation, and archival sources that document the production and distribution of religious imagery in 17th-century Germany.