Abstract

This independent study examines the connection between the advent of the Protestant Reformation and the cultural perception of the lower classes in the early modern Netherlands through the lens of print art, revealing the interconnected nature of capitalism, religion, and art. Through the analysis of depictions of the beggar in Netherlandish print, this study highlights the effects of the Protestant imperative for worldly success on the lower classes and the beggar in particular. Blending sociological and art historical frameworks and research, this paper works to combine the formal analysis of Netherlandish print beggars with a sociological examination of capitalism and religion in the early modern period. Where prior art historical scholarship focuses on the approach of an individual artist to the content of their works, this study instead seeks to understand how art works reflect the greater social, cultural, and religious changes taking place during the Netherlandish Reformation. In essence, this study seeks to expand upon the scholarship regarding the Protestant Reformation’s impact on social and class structures through the proxy of secular depictions of the beggar, highlighting art as a sociological object embodying contemporary sentiment and beliefs.

Advisor

Nurse, Anne

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

Disciplines

History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology | Sociology

Keywords

Protestant Reformation, Print, Class, Rembrandt

Publication Date

2026

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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