Johann Tetzel
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Mary Evans Picture Library
Johann Tetzel
JOHANN TETZEL German Dominican monk, notorious for trafficking in indulgences whereby gullible persons purchased release from purgatory
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Media ID 4318484
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10091059
1460 1519 Dominican Gullible Indulgences Johann Monk Notorious Purchased Purgatory Release Tetzel Trafficking
EDITORS COMMENTS
In this evocative 16th-century woodcut print, the stern visage of Johann Tetzel, a Dominican friar, stares out at the viewer with unyielding determination. Born in 1460 in Leipzig, Germany, Tetzel would become notorious for his role in the sale of indulgences during the tumultuous era of the Reformation. Indulgences were certificates issued by the Catholic Church that granted remission of temporal punishment for sins, both living and dead. Tetzel's innovative sales tactics, which included traveling from town to town and using persuasive language to appeal to the fears and desires of the gullible, made him a controversial figure. He promised that those who purchased indulgences could secure a quicker release from purgatory for themselves or their deceased loved ones. The year was 1519 when this print was created, marking a pivotal moment in the history of the Catholic Church. Tetzel's activities had drawn the ire of a young monk named Martin Luther, who would soon challenge the Church's authority with his Ninety-Five Theses. The sale of indulgences came to symbolize the corruption and moral decay that Luther and others saw in the Church, ultimately contributing to the Protestant Reformation. As Tetzel's image spread throughout Europe, he became a symbol of the excesses and abuses of the Church. This woodcut print, with its intricate details and powerful composition, serves as a poignant reminder of the complex historical forces that shaped the religious landscape of early modern Europe. The stern gaze of Tetzel, the Dominican monk, continues to challenge and intrigue us, inviting us to reflect on the complex interplay of faith, power, and human nature.
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