Drie apostelen Jakobus de Meerdere, Tomas en Jakobus de Mindere 1568

Pieter van der Heyden’s engraving, *Drie apostelen Jakobus de Meerdere, Tomas en Jakobus de Mindere*, now at the Rijksmuseum, reflects the religious and cultural milieu of the 16th century. Van der Heyden, working in the Netherlands, lived during a time of significant religious upheaval with the rise of Protestantism challenging the Catholic Church. Here, three apostles are shown as intellectual figures, each accompanied by books and representative objects. The artist’s choice to depict them with such attributes speaks to the period’s shifting emphasis on scriptural study. Van der Heyden uses the visual language of the church, to engage with contemporary theological debates. Consider how the composition, with its classical and idealized figures, embodies the complex interplay between religious tradition, humanism, and the emerging Reformation. This engraving captures a society in transition, grappling with questions of faith and authority. It leaves us to contemplate our own search for meaning.