Bijeenkomst van Quakers
ca. 1683 - ca. 1688
Medium
paper
Dimensions
180; 252
About this artwork
height 252 mm x width 180 mm
Art Historical Context
Isaac Beckett's *Bijeenkomst van Quakers*Meeting of Quakers), created around 1683–1688, captures a serene gathering of the Religious Society of Friends a Protestant dissenting group founded in mid-17th-century England. Quakers, known for their in the "Inner Light" and rejection of formal clergy, held silent meetings where participants waited for divine inspiration to speak. This intimate scene on paper (252 × 180 mm) reflects the era's religious tensions, as Quakers faced persecution under laws like the Conventicle Act of 1664, though tolerance grew under King James II. As an English engraver...
About the Artist
Isaac Beckett · 1653–1719
Isaac Beckett (1653–1719) was an English mezzotint engraver who played a foundational role in establishing the art of mezzotint engraving in England. Along with Robert Williams, he was among the first native Englishmen to extensively practice this innovative printmaking technique, which had been developed in continental Europe. Born in Kent in 1653, Beckett's career spanned from 1681 to 1688, duri...