Christuskind timmert een hek 1617 - 1658

Christoffel van Sichem II created this woodcut, titled "Christ Child Building a Fence," during the 17th century. The composition immediately strikes us with its ordered activity; the arrangement of figures and structures creates a tightly structured space. Lines define not only forms but also the dynamic relationships between the child Jesus, his family, and the tools of carpentry. The artist is making a point not just about religious iconography but also about the act of construction itself. We can think of Sichem's work as an intersection between the sacred and the mundane, elevated through the structural clarity and materiality inherent in the printmaking process. The contrast between light and shadow is not merely decorative but serves to delineate space and emphasize the underlying structure of faith.