Visitatie 1617

Dietrich Krüger created this engraving, Visitatie, sometime between 1590 and 1624. It depicts the biblical scene of the Visitation. It is a powerful representation of the meeting between Mary and Elizabeth, both pregnant, and is full of social and cultural meaning. Krüger was working in a period of religious and political upheaval in Northern Europe, with the rise of Protestantism challenging the authority of the Catholic Church. Images of the Virgin Mary were central to the arguments between Protestants and Catholics and so, Krüger’s work engages directly with these debates. The setting of the meeting in front of a large, imposing building suggests the importance of institutional religion in everyday life. The use of classical architectural elements also makes an association with the artistic traditions of Italy. However, the depiction of a labourer in the foreground reminds us of the realities of everyday life in Northern Europe. To fully understand Krüger's choices we can examine theological texts from the period, records of artistic patronage, and accounts of everyday life in Northern Europe. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.