Profetie over Babel 1645 - 1740

Christoffel van Sichem II created this woodcut, “Prophecy over Babel,” sometime before his death in 1658. The print plunges us into a chaotic scene, dominated by the stark contrast of black lines against a white background, creating a dramatic visual tension. The composition is split between the earthly and the divine. Below, a crowd gathers around a prophet, while above, angels hover amidst swirling flames engulfing the Tower of Babel. Sichem uses line and form to destabilize the symbolic order. The Tower, meant to symbolize human ambition and unity, is depicted as fragile and collapsing. The figures, rendered with dense, cross-hatched lines, convey a sense of turmoil and divine retribution. Ultimately, this print uses its formal elements to explore themes of power, hubris, and divine judgment, reflecting the religious and political anxieties of its time, and suggesting the futility of resisting higher powers.