De heilige Gregorius de Grote met vier andere heiligen 1633 - 1672

Willem Basse created this print of Saint Gregory the Great and other saints using etching, probably sometime in the mid-17th century. The image depicts Gregory, a sixth-century pope, in his role as a figure of religious authority, surrounded by other saints and soldiers. We can analyze the image as a representation of institutional power during the Dutch Golden Age. The architecture and the clothing of the figures point to the power of the church and its historical legacy. Basse, as a Dutch artist, would have been aware of the religious conflicts of his time, and this image may reflect a particular point of view on the role of religious institutions in society. Notice how Gregory and his entourage occupy the center of the composition, emphasizing their importance. Understanding an image like this requires us to look into the history of religious institutions in the Netherlands and the biographies of the figures represented. It reminds us that art is always created within a specific social and institutional context.