Gezicht op de Miniemenkerk en het Miniemenklooster, te Brussel 1727 - 1734

Jacobus Harrewijn created this print of the Miniemenkerk and Miniemenklooster in Brussels around the turn of the 18th century. During this time, the Habsburg Netherlands was a society structured by religious institutions and aristocratic power. Here, Harrewijn meticulously maps out the architecture and grounds of the monastery, a physical manifestation of religious authority and social order. The print offers a bird's-eye view, a perspective often reserved for those in positions of power, inviting the viewer to survey and comprehend the extent of the monastery's influence. However, it is also a product of its time, with its formal gardens and regimented buildings speaking to the values of control and hierarchy that underpinned the social and religious structures of the era. Consider how the monastery itself functioned as a space both of spiritual retreat and social control. The lives of the monks within its walls were governed by strict rules and routines, mirroring the broader societal expectations of obedience and piety. It serves as a reminder of the complex interplay between faith, power, and the everyday lives of individuals within a specific historical context.