Heilige Dominicus weigert de bisschopszetel van Conserano 1611

Theodoor Galle created this engraving, "Heilige Dominicus weigert de bisschopszetel van Conserano," sometime between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Galle was part of a prolific family of artists and printmakers in Antwerp, a city then at the heart of the Counter-Reformation. The artwork depicts Saint Dominic refusing the seat of bishop. It asks us to consider power and piety in the early modern world. Dominic, identifiable by his halo, stands on a step, gesturing outwards, seemingly rejecting the mitre, or the hat of the bishop, being offered to him. Galle's composition subtly contrasts the saint's humble demeanor with the opulence associated with ecclesiastical power. It subtly critiques the hierarchical structures of the Church, implicitly questioning the moral authority of those who seek high office. Yet, it also portrays an individual’s personal choice to forego power. What does it mean to renounce worldly authority in pursuit of spiritual purity? What are the costs and rewards, both personal and societal, of such a decision?