Christus aan het kruis 1712 - 1786

Giovanni Marco Pitteri made this engraving of Christ on the cross sometime in the eighteenth century. The image participates in a long history of the artistic representation of biblical themes. The engraving process makes use of visual codes like line and shading to create a sense of depth and drama. But the power of this image comes as much from its cultural context as from its formal qualities. The Catholic Church has long used images of the crucifixion to inspire piety and to reinforce its authority. The image of the suffering Christ serves as a powerful reminder of the Church's teachings about sin, sacrifice, and redemption. As a result, any representation of the crucifixion necessarily engages with the institution of the Church and the social structures it supports. Art historians make use of many resources in order to better understand the meaning of an artwork like this. Through archival research, we can better understand the political and religious context of the image and its connection to the institution of the church.