Heilige Justina 1583 - 1587

This engraving of Saint Justina was made by Johann Sadeler I around 1600 in the Netherlands. Sadeler was part of a dynasty of printmakers, who played a key role in disseminating visual ideas across Europe at a time when the printing press was still a relatively new technology. The image shows Justina of Padua, a Christian saint martyred in the Roman era. She is depicted with a palm frond, representing her martyrdom, and seated next to a sword, the instrument of her death. What makes this image interesting is the context in which it was made: the Northern Renaissance, a time when the Catholic Church faced growing challenges from the rise of Protestantism. Printmaking was a powerful tool in this period, and the image of Saint Justina here can be seen as promoting a specific set of religious beliefs in a time of conflict and uncertainty. As an art historian, my job is to unpack these layers of meaning, using historical sources to understand the social and institutional contexts in which art is made and consumed.