Genezing van de vrouw die aan bloedvloeiingen leed 1548

Curator: Here we have an engraving, "Healing of the Woman with an Issue of Blood," crafted around 1548 by Dirck Volckertsz Coornhert, after Maarten van Heemskerck. It’s part of the Rijksmuseum's collection. Editor: My first impression is one of swirling anxiety, that woman on the ground, those peering faces. There’s a distinct emotional current surging through this meticulously etched scene. Curator: Absolutely. It reflects the socio-religious currents of the time. The narrative is drawn from the Gospels, showing a woman, considered unclean due to her condition, healed by touching the hem of Jesus’s garment amidst a crowded scene. Editor: That single-minded reaching for salvation rendered with such rawness… her face is almost gaunt with desperation, while the figures around her appear so stoic. It seems to illustrate the era's perspective on faith and social exclusion with remarkable visual punch. Curator: It does. Cornhert's piece underscores the power dynamics at play within the Church and larger community. Heemskerck's original design and Cornhert's engraving brought this theme to a broad public through print. Editor: Look at the contrast: the almost theatrical gestures of some, their garments billowing around them, juxtaposed with her humble posture. And that little sun-burst of light from above. Even in monochrome, that suggests the divine power radiating through her desperate act. It’s an enduring testament to the power of belief overcoming social barriers. Curator: Indeed. What strikes me is that prints such as this offered accessible religious instruction, shaping popular understanding of biblical stories while reflecting the period's sensibilities towards sickness, gender, and the miraculous. Editor: Considering all the nuances captured in ink from hope to hesitation, to outright judgement… This little piece is no mere religious illustration, but a poignant glimpse into humanity’s perpetual search for healing, acceptance, and redemption. Curator: Yes, Coornhert used prints to disseminate ideals and Heemskerck set about his humanism through narratives, both their legacies persist as the conversation keeps unravelling in modern interpretations of religion and class.