Zeven geestelijke werken van barmhartigheid 1581 - 1633

This engraving of the Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy was produced by Theodoor Galle in Antwerp at the turn of the 17th century. The artist was part of a dynasty of printmakers closely linked to the Catholic Church during a tumultuous time of religious conflict. In this small but busy print, Galle presents a vision of Christian charity which neatly reinforces Counter-Reformation doctrine. The central figure of Christ stands radiant, literally at the heart of a series of good works. These include counselling the doubtful, comforting the sorrowful, and forgiving offences. Each scene of mercy is carefully labelled with a passage from scripture, a testament to the importance of religious texts during the Reformation. Galle’s image would have served as a potent reminder of the Church’s teachings. To understand the context of this print we can look to its status as an artistic commodity, and the institutional role of the Galle workshop in disseminating particular religious messages. By consulting the archives of printmaking workshops and religious orders, we can gain insight into the social life of this image.