Aanbidding door de koningen 1679 - 1728

Johannes Gronsveld created this print, “Adoration of the Kings,” around the turn of the 18th century. The tight composition and the use of chiaroscuro pulls us into a scene filled with figures rendered in meticulous detail through varied line work. Gronsveld masterfully employs line to create depth and texture. Notice how he varies the density and direction of his lines, creating areas of shadow and light that give form to the figures and objects. The texture of the fabrics, the rough faces of the onlookers, the musculature of the horses—all are suggested through the density and direction of the etched lines. Consider the structural arrangement of the composition. The strong vertical lines of the architectural elements on the left act as a frame, drawing our eyes to the central figures of Mary, the Christ child, and the adoring kings. Gronsveld uses the formal elements of line and composition to invite us into a space of contemplation.