Mozes splijt het water met zijn staf 1645 - 1646

Christoffel van Sichem II created this woodcut depicting "Moses splitting the water with his staff." The print plunges us into a stark, high-contrast scene of divine intervention. Note how the strong vertical lines of the architectural ruins in the backdrop juxtapose with the dynamism of the crowd and the swirling forms representing the parted sea. Sichem’s use of dense, parallel hatching creates depth and shadow, lending a dramatic intensity to the miraculous event. The composition centers on Moses, his staff extended, a gesture of authority and power that disrupts the natural order. We can examine this piece through the lens of structuralism, where the binary oppositions—divine power versus natural law, chaos versus order—highlight the underlying structure of belief and faith. Consider the graphic quality inherent in the woodcut technique, the way it emphasizes line and form over tonal subtlety. This stylistic choice serves not merely as a visual aesthetic, but as a powerful means of conveying meaning and faith.