Apostel Paulus door een aardbeving uit de ketenen bevrijd 1697

This undated print depicts Saint Paul freed from his chains by an earthquake, and it was made by an anonymous artist. The image visualizes the story from the Acts of the Apostles, in which an earthquake miraculously breaks Paul's chains and opens the prison doors. This was not just a story about divine intervention, but also a claim about the power of faith to overcome earthly authority. Prints like this one, circulating widely in 17th-century Europe, played a crucial role in shaping popular religious beliefs. The setting, a dark prison, emphasizes the social context of Paul's imprisonment and the power of the Roman authorities. The earthquake can be seen as a symbol of divine justice, disrupting the established order and liberating the oppressed. By studying the historical context of this print, we can understand how religious imagery was used to challenge social norms. Researching the history of printing and the circulation of religious imagery will give us a clearer understanding of the artwork's meaning as something that is contingent on social and institutional context.