Christus in de hof van Getsemane 17th century

This small print, “Christus in de hof van Getsemane,” or “Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane”, was made anonymously, using a woodcut technique. The artist carved the image into a block of wood; the remaining raised areas were then inked and printed, resulting in the bold lines we see here. This method allowed for relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction, making images like these accessible to a wide audience. The very texture of the wood, its grain and density, dictate the character of the lines, lending the image a certain ruggedness. Consider the labor involved: the careful carving, the inking, the pressing. Each print is the result of manual work, intended for broad distribution. The scale and method of production speak to a world where religious imagery was no longer the sole preserve of the elite, but part of an expanding visual culture. It reminds us that even the most sacred subjects are shaped by the tools and technologies of their time.