Martyrdom of Saint Gereon 1617 - 1655

Cornelis Schut created this pen and brown ink drawing, "The Martyrdom of Saint Gereon", sometime in the 17th century. Schut was from Antwerp, in the Spanish Netherlands, a region which remained Catholic even as the Dutch Republic to the north became a Protestant stronghold. Religious artworks played a key public role in this period, with the Catholic Church using art to inspire and educate the faithful. This drawing depicts the martyrdom of Saint Gereon, a Roman soldier who, along with his companions, was executed for refusing to worship pagan gods. In its depiction of violence and religious devotion, the drawing reflects the intense religious conflicts of the time. It served as a visual reminder of the importance of remaining true to one's faith, even in the face of persecution and even, perhaps, under the newly Protestant Dutch. To understand this piece better, we can research the history of Catholicism in the Spanish Netherlands, the lives of the Saints and the Counter-Reformation's artistic strategies. It is through this work that we can appreciate the complex social and institutional contexts in which art is created.