Embleem met engel die geestelijke toont dat de duivel na de dood van een zondaar de ziel komt halen 1620

Boëtius Adamsz. Bolswert created this print, titled "Embleem met engel die geestelijke toont dat de duivel na de dood van een zondaar de ziel komt halen," using engraving techniques. Prints like this one circulated widely in the 17th century, a period marked by intense religious and political conflict. They offer insights into the prevailing attitudes toward morality, death, and the afterlife. Here, the artist confronts us with a vivid depiction of the battle between good and evil for the soul of a sinner. The scene is split: on one side, we witness a deathbed scene where a devil awaits; on the other, a symbolic journey towards salvation. The print serves as a moral lesson, reflecting the rigid social structures and religious beliefs of the time. It prompts us to consider how fear and faith were used to shape individual behavior and maintain social order. How does it feel to observe these visual representations of spiritual struggle and judgment?