Christ on the Cross 

Claude Mellan made this engraving of Christ on the Cross sometime in the 17th century. Mellan was French, and he spent a significant part of his career in Rome, where he was influenced by the traditions of Baroque art. Although Mellan became known for a technique that involved using single lines to create tonal variations, this image shows a more conventional use of cross-hatching and parallel lines. Note the figure at the base of the cross, and the image of a walled town in the background. The image speaks to the politics of religious imagery in the early modern period. The Catholic Church was a major patron of the arts, and depictions of Christ's crucifixion were central to its teachings. Artists were compelled to make images that were both emotionally moving and theologically sound. To fully understand this image, scholars research religious history, the history of printmaking, and the social role of art in 17th century Europe. Art history relies on understanding an artwork’s historical context.