Virgin and Child in a Church, also known as the Van Maelbeke Virgin 1570 - 1590

This print of the Virgin and Child in a Church was made by Hieronymus Wierix in the Netherlands around the turn of the 17th century. It’s based on a lost painting by Jan van Eyck, and so it gives us some insight into the cultural importance of the Catholic church in the region. We can see how the artist uses visual codes such as the setting of the church to remind the viewer about the power of the institution. Consider how the geography of the Netherlands, with its many church buildings, would influence the population's view of the artwork. As an engraving made after an earlier painting, the image also speaks to the place of the museum as an institution for the preservation and dissemination of religious art. Art historians rely on a range of research resources, including church records, historical documents, and the study of the artist's other works, in order to better understand the social context of works such as this.