Putti met passiewerktuigen bij het graf van Christus 1644 - 1652

Wenceslaus Hollar created this etching called ‘Putti met passiewerktuigen bij het graf van Christus’ sometime in the 17th century. It’s a depiction that encapsulates the religious and cultural sentiments of its time. The print shows a cluster of cherubic figures, or putti, surrounding the tomb of Christ. Some carry the cross while others bear the instruments of the Passion. But consider this: in a period marked by religious conflict and reformation, Hollar, a Bohemian artist working across Europe, uses the image of childhood innocence to represent profound themes of sacrifice and redemption. The putti, traditionally symbols of divine love, here seem almost burdened by the weight of the objects they carry. They represent a specific kind of innocence, one confronted with, and perhaps corrupted by, the knowledge of suffering. The emotional weight of the scene is palpable as the viewer is invited to reflect on the intertwined themes of innocence, sacrifice, and the burdens of history.