Christus aan het kruis 1670 - 1724

Jacob Gole engraved this depiction of "Christus aan het kruis" around the turn of the 18th century. Central to the image is Christ's crucifixion, marked by the cross as a symbol of suffering, but also of redemption. Note the figures at the foot of the cross, mirroring the emotional intensity found in earlier works like Giotto's Scrovegni Chapel frescoes. Here, gestures of grief evoke shared sorrow, and the soldier with the spear appears throughout art history. Consider how the spear, used to pierce Christ's side, is not merely an instrument of death, but a motif echoing through time, carrying both pain and recognition in different epochs. Observe, too, how Gole uses light to engage viewers on a visceral level, drawing us into the emotional vortex of this sacred drama. These visual echoes reveal a deeply embedded cultural memory.