H. Erpho 1649

Wenceslaus Hollar made this engraving of H. Erpho in 1649. Here Erpho is presented as both a "good shepherd" and "soldier of Christ," titles that speak to the complex role of religious figures in 17th-century Europe. The image creates meaning through familiar Christian iconography such as the halo of light, the bishop's staff, the book of sacred writings, and the cherubic figure holding a laurel wreath, all of which would have been widely understood in the predominantly Christian society of the time. The Latin text also indicates the importance of classical education and the Church's status as a patron of learning. Engravings like this one were often commissioned by religious institutions to promote certain figures or ideas. To fully understand this image, we need to understand the historical context of religious institutions and the politics of imagery in 17th-century Europe. The tools of the historian, such as archival research, help us understand the social conditions that shaped its production and how it was used.