Dood van H. Anna 1691 - 1767

Nicolas Etienne Edelinck made this print, titled 'Death of Saint Anne', in France around 1700. It represents Saint Anne on her deathbed, surrounded by family including the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus. The image blends religious and social themes reflective of its time. The setting, while depicting a biblical scene, has clear associations with the contemporary aristocratic domestic space. Note the ornate bed and gathering of family, suggesting the importance of lineage and legacy. The visual codes, such as the presence of angels and the serene expressions of the figures, reinforce the sanctity of the event. France in the late 17th and early 18th centuries was a society deeply shaped by both religious doctrine and courtly culture, which served to legitimize the social order. By studying period texts, sermons, and other visual representations of the period we may better understand the values and beliefs that shaped artistic production, and so too, the social function of art.