H. Eugenia en H. Basilla 1565 - 1630

Antonio Tempesta created this small engraving of Saints Eugenia and Basilla sometime in the late 16th or early 17th century. These images were made during a period of intense religious conflict in Europe, often used to inspire devotion or to reinforce specific theological viewpoints. The image depicts the martyrdom of the saints. Note the idealized figures and the dramatic scene, framed within an ornamental border. Tempesta, working in Italy, was influenced by the artistic and religious climate of the Counter-Reformation. The Catholic Church, in response to the Protestant Reformation, sought to reaffirm its authority and promote its teachings through art. Engravings like this were a portable and reproducible medium, ideal for disseminating religious narratives and moral lessons to a wider audience. The Rijksmuseum's collection and other archives can reveal much about the distribution and reception of such works. Understanding this engraving means situating it within its socio-religious context. Historians use a range of sources to reconstruct the beliefs and values of the time, shedding light on the role of images in shaping cultural attitudes.