Christuskind met lam zittend op een kussen 1580 - 1620

This is an engraving showing the Christ Child with a lamb, made by an anonymous artist. Dominating the upper register of the composition is the Holy Spirit represented as a dove radiating divine light, an enduring symbol of purity and divine grace. But consider the lamb, a symbol laden with cultural weight. Here, it nestles beside the Christ Child, prefiguring his future sacrifice, a visual echo of ancient sacrificial rituals. From pagan offerings to Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac, the lamb is a potent symbol of atonement. We see this motif echoed throughout art history – consider the countless depictions of sacrificial lambs in Roman and Greek art. The lamb’s presence evokes deep-seated emotional responses, engaging viewers on a subconscious level through a powerful gesture of religious redemption. Its presence is a poignant reminder of our shared cultural memory and our longing for salvation. Like the cyclical nature of religious belief, the lamb motif resurfaces throughout history, each time transformed and imbued with new layers of meaning.