Indulgences [Trenkwald]

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Indulgences [Trenkwald]

The German Dominican Johann TETZEL [1460-1519] selling indulgences in a German market square

Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries

Media ID 579833

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10023074

1460 1517 1519 Catholicism Dominican Indulgences Johann Selling Tetzel

EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative image captures the controversial scene of Johann Tetzel, a German Dominican friar, selling indulgences in a bustling market square during the early 16th century. The year was 1517, and the Catholic Church's practice of granting indulgences, or forgiveness of sins, was a subject of intense debate and controversy. Tetzel, with a confident and persuasive demeanor, is shown extolling the benefits of these indulgences to a rapt audience, as he holds up a model of Purgatory, symbolizing the place where the souls of the deceased undergo purification before entering Heaven. Indulgences were sold as a means to reduce or even eliminate the time spent in Purgatory for those who had committed sins, and the proceeds were used to fund the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. However, critics argued that the sale of indulgences was a corrupt practice, as it allowed the wealthy to buy their way into Heaven while the poor were left to suffer in Purgatory. This photograph, taken from the Mary Evans Picture Library, is a poignant reminder of the complex and often contentious relationship between religion and commerce during the late Middle Ages. The image also serves as a testament to the power of persuasive speech and the ability of charismatic figures like Tetzel to sway public opinion and shape religious practices. The scene depicted in this photograph is particularly significant as it marks the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, which was sparked in part by Martin Luther's vehement opposition to the sale of indulgences. Luther's Ninety-Five Theses, which he nailed to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517, challenged the Church's authority to grant indulgences and ignited a religious and political upheaval that would forever change the course of Western civilization.

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