Sancta Euphrolyna, from the series Female Hermits 1600 - 1633

Abraham Bloemaert produced this print of Sancta Euphrolyna as part of a series on female hermits. Here, we see a figure laid out and attended by two others, presumably at the moment of death. The figure is identified as a Saint, but why a series on female hermits? Northern Europe, in the 17th century, experienced a resurgence of interest in the lives of religious figures, particularly women, as models of piety and devotion. The Catholic Church, amidst the Reformation, sought to reassert its spiritual authority. Prints like these circulated widely, and they bolstered a vision of female piety which encouraged women to dedicate themselves to prayer and religious study. The print is a product of its time, reflecting the religious and social currents of the Dutch Golden Age. To understand it fully, we would need to delve into the religious history of the period, examining devotional literature and the role of female saints in shaping religious belief and practice. The meaning of the image lies in its historical context.