Heilige familie 1850 - 1884

Hermann Eichens made this print, Heilige Familie, using etching around the mid-19th century. The ‘Holy Family’ was a popular subject in European art, reflecting the importance of family values in social life. This image, made in the Netherlands, uses familiar visual codes to create meaning. God the Father, hovering in the clouds, surrounded by angels and a dove representing the Holy Spirit, watches over Mary and the infant Jesus. This reflects the cultural and religious background of the time, reinforcing the Catholic church's view of an ordered, hierarchical Universe. The print served as a devotional object, reaffirming religious doctrine, while also promoting specific cultural values. To fully understand art like this, we need to consider religious history, popular culture and the institutions that shaped both the production and reception of such images. Further research might explore how prints like these were distributed and consumed within Dutch society. Art’s meaning is always contingent on its social and institutional context.