The Flagellation, from "The Passion of Christ" 1597

Hendrick Goltzius created this print, The Flagellation, from "The Passion of Christ," sometime around 1597, using engraving. The scene depicts the flagellation of Christ before his crucifixion, rendered with a stark realism characteristic of the Northern Renaissance. Made in the Netherlands, the print reflects the cultural and religious tensions of the time, during the Reformation. Goltzius, though trained in a classicizing style, imbues the scene with an intense physicality that speaks to the period’s spiritual fervor. The choice of printmaking, rather than painting, is significant. It allowed for wider distribution and accessibility, making it a powerful tool for religious instruction and propaganda. To understand this work fully, we can research the history of printmaking in the Netherlands, the role of religious imagery in the Reformation, and Goltzius's biography. By examining these contexts, we can appreciate how art becomes a battleground for cultural and religious ideas.