Netherlands: ‘Fishing for Souls'. Oil on oak wood painting by Adriaen Pietersz van de Venne (1589 - 12 November 1662), 1614. In the New Testament of the Christian Bible, Jesus walked past a lake and saw some fishermen at work. He called on them to follow him and be his disciples: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”—Matthew 4:19. This passage is generally taken to mean that Christ was calling on the fishermen to become missionaries. Van de Venne used the idea to illustrate the fierce battle for people’s souls that was taking place between Protestants and Roman Catholics.

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Photo credit: © Pictures From History / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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