Aanbidding van het Lam Gods 1588

This is Johann Sadeler the First's engraving "Adoration of the Lamb", made around 1618. Its dominant visual experience is a complex, multi-layered composition in which ethereal and earthly realms merge. The engraving presents a deeply spiritual theme through the careful arrangement of figures, light, and symbolic elements. Sadeler uses contrasting tones and meticulous lines to differentiate the heavenly glow from the earthly shadows. This stark juxtaposition enhances the image's symbolic depth. The composition is structured around a central vertical axis which divides the earthly adoration of the lamb from God in heaven. This structured composition guides the viewer’s eye from the lower earthly realm, represented by kneeling figures and detailed landscapes, up to the divine brightness above. The engraving’s meaning is created through its formal arrangement and also functions as a cultural artifact, reflecting the religious tensions and philosophical debates of its time.