Antique Print of Majorinus by De Hooghe (1701)

Description: Antique print, titled: 'Majorinus Numida' - Majorinus was a bishop of Carthage in dispute with Ceacilianus. He favored the so-called Donatist sect. Het died ca. 329 AD. The background to the controversy was the wave of persecutions of Christians by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. At that time some Church leaders - unwilling to endure torture or death and become martyrs - had been ready to take such acts as worshipping the gods of the old pantheon, considered idols by Christians, or surrendering church books and property to the imperial authorities. Such people became known as 'traditors' ("surrenderers"). One of these "traditors", named Caecilian, had returned to the fold of the Church once the persecutions ended, and was consecrated Bishop of Carthage and Primate of North Africa. Those of the faithful who refused to accept the authority of such a spiritual leader raised Majorinus as a rival bishop; however, Majorinus died shortly after being consecrated, and it fell to Donatus to take his place and continue the struggle.

This rare print originates from: 'Historie der Kerken en Ketteren van den beginne des Nieuwen Testaments tot aan het Jaar onses Heeren 1688. Onzydig in 't Hoogduytsch beschreeven, door den Hoog-geleerden Heer Godfried Arnold, Voor deezen Hoog-Leeraar in de Historien tot Giesen. In het Neederduyts vertaald. Vercierd met verscheyde Koopere Plaaten door den Heer Romeyn de Hooghe.' (transl.: History of Churches and Heretics from the start of the New Testament until the year of our lord 1688 ...), by Godfried Arnold, Dutch edition published by Sebastiaan Petzold, Amsterdam 1701. This edition contains portraits of heretic figures, etched by the reknown Romeyn de Hooghe.

Artists and Engravers: Made by 'Romeyn de Hooghe' after an anonymous artist. Gottfried Arnold (pseud. Christophorus Irenaeus) was an important representative of the so-called radical Pietism, publicist, church historian and chants writer (so he was believed to have written the well-known Church song 'O Durchbrecher aller Bande'). Arnold studied theology in Wittenberg. From the Lutheran Orthodoxy he converted, through writings of Spener, to Pietism, associating later into a circle around the court preacher Sprögel, who was influenced by Jakok Böhm. Many medieval mystics were later re-issued by him. In addition he was clearly influenced by Grotius and the early enlightenment. His quest for the 'true' Christianity rightly brought him in the early Church. So he arranged an edition containing the sermons of the desert father Macarius. Arnold was a skilled patristicus, although he did not escape from the creation of an ideal image of the Christian life in the early Church, in his view a flowering time which ended with the reign of Constantine. His first study of the early Church ('Die erste Liebe der Gemeinen Jesu Christi') provided him a professor position in Gießen, a post which he soon left, disappointed by what he called the 'Ruhmsachtige Vernunftwesen des akademischen Lebens'. He continued as an individual scientist and he published books and poems. His main work is 'Unparteiischen Kirchen- und Ketzerhistorie' (1699-1700), of which this is the Dutch translation. He adapts in this study the reformatory decay theory, where the censure lies no longer with Constantine, but the post-Apostolic time. The decay is temporarily lifted with the Reformation, but occurres again soon, so that even the contemporary institutional Protestantism lies under the fire of his criticism. On the other hand he favours the 'Church of the spirit' that existed in all times (invisible) and is characterised by avoiding the world and asceticism. Not the orthodoxy, but the subjectivity of religious man is central to his theological thinking. His studies earned him great appreciation but also a storm of criticism. His work marks the transition between a confessional way of historiography to the modern, pragmatic historiography. Here after his life took a surprising twist. Not only did he marry at an older age, he also accepted a church position in Allstedt. A few years later he became pastor and superintendent in Werben. This career resulted in a moderation of his radical ideas. In the view of Hirsch Arnold was the most important theologic scientist in the period at the end of the 17th. and early 18th c. Romeyn de Hooghe (1645-1708) was an important and prolific late Dutch Baroque engraver and caricaturist. De Hooghe was skilled as an etcher, draughtsman, painter, sculptor and medalist. He is best known for political caricatures of Louis XIV and propagandistic prints supporting William of Orange. During his career, de Hooghe produced over 3500 prints. He also illustrated books, and his illustrations can be found in some of the most important texts of his period.