Christus aan het kruis 1554 - 1559

This engraving of the Crucifixion was made by Dirck Volckertsz Coornhert, sometime in the 16th century. The process used to create this image involved the skillful use of a burin to carve lines into a copper plate, which was then inked and printed onto paper. The striking contrast between light and shadow would have been achieved by carefully varying the density and depth of the engraved lines. Think about the labor involved in this meticulous process, the intense focus required to translate a complex scene into a network of precise marks. Engravings like this one played a crucial role in disseminating religious imagery during the Reformation, reaching a wide audience through the relatively accessible medium of print. Coornhert himself was an interesting figure, an engraver, philosopher, and theologian who advocated for religious tolerance. This print embodies his intellectual and spiritual commitments, and serves as a reminder that even seemingly mass-produced images can be imbued with deep social and cultural significance.