H. Gertrudis van Nijvel 1615 - 1676

Theodor Matham's engraving portrays Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, adorned with symbols that resonate across centuries. The staff, a bishop's crook, signifies her role and authority, while the rats scurrying at her feet point to her patronage against plagues and rodent infestations—bearers of disease and fear. Consider how the depiction of saints evolved from classical heroes, inheriting gestures and attributes. Here, Gertrude's raised hand, a gesture of benediction, reminds us of similar poses in Roman oratory, appropriated to convey divine favor. The halo above, a later addition to Christian iconography, signals sanctity, yet echoes the solar disks of pagan deities, transformed and repurposed to denote divine grace. These symbols are not static; they are continuously reinterpreted and invested with new meanings. The association of rats with disease, for instance, reflects a deep-seated primal fear, a collective memory of devastation, which the saint's protection seeks to quell. This image thus engages us on an unconscious level, tapping into ancestral anxieties and the hope for deliverance. Like a restless spirit, the symbol of the rodent evolves, reappearing in various forms across time, a testament to its enduring psychological impact.