Heilige Juan Diego geneest een blinde jongen 1646

Simon Guillain II created this print, Heilige Juan Diego geneest een blinde jongen, in the 17th century. The print depicts Juan Diego, an indigenous Mexican peasant, who became a saint for his account of the Virgin Mary appearing to him in 1531. Guillain’s print captures a moment of divine intervention; Juan Diego is shown healing a blind boy, an event that elevated his status and the site of the apparition, the Basilica of Guadalupe, as a place of pilgrimage. The scene is framed within a European visual language, yet it illustrates a pivotal moment in the construction of Mexican Catholic identity. The expressions on the faces, ranging from disbelief to awe, reflect the emotional intensity of the miracle. While the print reinforces religious narratives, it also serves as a historical record of the complex interactions between indigenous beliefs and colonial religious practices. It's a testament to the power of faith, both as a personal experience and as a force that shapes cultural identity and collective memory.