An Angel Trampling a Skeleton, from Grotisch fur alle Kunstler 1580 - 1600

Theodor de Bry created this engraving called "An Angel Trampling a Skeleton" as part of a series for artists, sometime in the late 16th century. The image combines religious and decorative motifs that speak to the period's complex relationship between faith, art, and society. The angel, a symbol of divine power, is shown defeating death, represented by the skeleton. This imagery would have resonated with the religious sensibilities of the time, particularly in the context of the Protestant Reformation and Counter-Reformation. But the work is also a "Grotisch", a decorative grotesque, meant to be used as inspiration for craftsmen, goldsmiths or other artists. It is designed for use, to inspire other works of art rather than to stand alone. To understand this work better, we might look to period literature, religious texts, and art theory. By situating the engraving within its historical and institutional context, we can better appreciate its meaning and significance as both a religious statement and an artistic model.