Christus verdrijft de geldwisselaars uit de tempel 1568

Cornelis Cort created this engraving, "Christ Driving the Money Changers from the Temple," in 1568. The composition is a flurry of figures caught in a moment of disruption, all rendered in stark monochrome. The eye is immediately drawn to the dynamic diagonals: the outstretched arms, the tilted tables, the very bodies of the fleeing merchants. Cort uses line and shadow to create a sense of chaos and movement. Notice how the lines vary in thickness and density, creating depth and texture. This isn't just a depiction of a biblical scene; it’s a study in the semiotics of space and power. Consider the architecture of the temple itself. The rigid, linear construction of the building is in stark contrast to the disarray within. This contrast emphasizes the transgression occurring, a disruption not just of space, but of the established order. Cort invites us to consider how spaces are defined not just by their physical boundaries, but by the activities and meanings imposed upon them.