Maria leert het Christuskind lezen before 1719

Giovanni Battista del Sole made this print, "Maria leert het Christuskind lezen" sometime before his death in 1719. Here, Mary teaches the Christ Child to read, watched by Joseph. Its formal classicism is typical of Italian art from this period, but it also reinforces Counter-Reformation ideas about the importance of religious instruction and the role of the family, especially the mother, in shaping religious belief. Made in Italy, this intimate scene reflects the Catholic Church's emphasis on the humanity of Christ and the importance of scripture. At the same time, institutions like the Church and the family are presented as crucial to the formation of knowledge. Is this image self-consciously conservative? Perhaps not, it probably reflects the accepted social norms of its time. Understanding this artwork requires understanding the religious and social context in which it was made. Historians use sources like religious tracts, social histories, and institutional records to understand the complex interplay of artistic production and social norms. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.