Heilige Eulogius after 1636

Frederick Bloemaert created this print of Heilige Eulogius in the 17th century, a period marked by religious conflicts and the Counter-Reformation. At the center of the image is Eulogius, a 9th-century saint from Cordoba, Spain, who was executed for denouncing Islam. Bloemaert highlights Eulogius's defiance against the backdrop of religious tension, portraying him in prayer before a crucifix, embodying piety and resistance. The print subtly questions the nature of religious authority, set against the history of Christian-Muslim relations. The style of the print, with its detailed engravings, situates the work within a tradition of religious art intended to inspire and educate. It prompts us to reflect on the intersections of faith, identity, and power, echoing Eulogius’s own struggle to maintain his religious identity.