Begrafenis van Maria 1629

Christoffel van Sichem II created this woodcut print, *Burial of the Virgin*, sometime in the early to mid-17th century. The composition guides our eyes from the detailed foreground figures to the distant, stylized cityscape. The stark contrast between the dense, dark lines and the untouched paper creates a dramatic visual texture, evoking the solemnity of the scene. The artwork deploys a semiotic system where gestures and spatial arrangements convey meaning. Note how the figures surrounding Mary's bier, the symbolic coffin, express grief through exaggerated poses and gestures. The artist uses line and form to engage with prevailing religious sentiments, making the artwork a site for negotiating faith and emotion. Consider the formal arrangement of the scene: the landscape, the figures, and the architectural backdrop work together to construct a narrative. These elements highlight the cultural codes and philosophical underpinnings of its time. The graphic quality of this woodcut invites us to reflect on the interplay between artistic form and the broader discourse of belief and representation.