Tekst over de Opstanding van Christus 1572

Editor: This engraving by Domenico Mancini, created in 1572, is titled "Tekst over de Opstanding van Christus"—or "Text about the Resurrection of Christ." The dense text is what immediately stands out. What historical conversations are embedded within this piece? Curator: Considering the sociopolitical context, the Reformation’s impact on religious art production and dissemination is undeniable. This piece seems to be consciously engaging with, or even resisting, the iconoclasm prevalent at the time by doubling down on text. What does text become when image is suppressed? Editor: Almost a symbol itself? Curator: Precisely. The deliberate choice to foreground the text and suppress the pictorial directs us towards considering the politics of literacy, translation, and access to religious narratives. Latin, though? It raises questions about who the intended audience was. What socioeconomic class? How does this choice shape the narrative of accessibility that the Reformation ostensibly championed? Editor: That’s a great point. Was it truly revolutionary if the common person still couldn't engage? Curator: Exactly! Now, think about how the text itself portrays power dynamics inherent in the resurrection narrative. Phrases such as "Certatriumphato patefecit Numina letho"— "Triumphantly revealed the divine power over death"—reinforce not only spiritual authority, but also the earthly institutions that derive power from it. Editor: I hadn't considered how textual choices uphold particular power structures. Curator: Seeing art this way allows us to critique traditional narratives and unearth complex power dynamics that shape religious and social identities, then and now.