Zielenvisserij 1560 - 1600

This print, made by an anonymous artist, is titled "Zielenvisserij," or "The Fishing of Souls." The print presents a complex scene of figures being caught in a net or on a hook. Made in the Netherlands during the Reformation, this image uses the visual metaphor of fishing to comment on the religious conflicts of the time. The "fishing of souls" refers to the act of converting people to a particular religious faith. The image is critical of the Catholic Church, suggesting that its methods of conversion are coercive and manipulative. The text at the bottom of the print likely provides further commentary on the scene, using religious language to critique the Church's power. The image is a product of the intense religious and political debates of the Reformation and understanding it requires historical research into the theology and politics of the time. Artworks like this one reveal the deep connections between artistic expression and social change.