Impressions of Marian Devotion: Depictions of the Litany of Loreto by the Wierix family from the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century

Abstract

Six prints by the Antwerp engravers Hieronymus and Antonie (II) Wierix from the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century with depictions of the Litany of Loreto offer insight into the Marian devotion of their time, particularly into the cult of the Madonna of Loreto. These prints highlight three primary iconographic types in which the cult of Loreto is often depicted: the Madonna with the Christ Child on a flying house, the Madonna of Loreto as a statue, and symbolic representations of Marian titles from the Litany of Loreto. Especially the iconography of the Litany of Loreto underscores the adaptability of the Loreto cult, demonstrating its integration into diverse religious contexts beyond the Loreto shrine such as in combination with symbols from other Marian litanies and the Madonna of the Immaculate Conception. The prints reflect the religious and political context of their times, most notably the post-1585 Catholic resurgence in Antwerp under Spanish Habsburg rule. Initially Lutheran, the Wierix brothers aligned with Catholic doctrine following the Fall of Antwerp, creating prints that supported Counter-Reformation efforts through universal and accessible religious imagery. The small size of the prints, the Latin texts, and iconographic elements suggest their use for private devotion, possibly influenced by Jesuit practices, the religious order which also plausibly facilitated the spread of these prints across Europe and beyond. While not unique in depicting the Litany of Loreto within the Low Countries and beyond, the prints by the Wierix brothers illustrate the intersection of local and global Catholic practices, attesting to the Loreto cult’s resilience and widespread appeal.