Pilate Washing His Hands c. 1480s

This compelling image, "Pilate Washing His Hands," is an anonymous work, likely a woodcut, printed on paper. The linear quality of the image, made up of small, deliberate marks, indicates the amount of labor that went into its making. Woodcut is a relief printing process, where the artist carves away the areas that will not be inked, leaving the design raised on the block's surface. The block is then inked and pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The relatively small size of this print suggests it was intended for widespread distribution, perhaps as a devotional aid or a piece of ephemera. The act of carving requires patience and precision. Given the traditional subject matter, it's fascinating to consider the social context in which this print was made and circulated, and the stories it could tell us about faith, labor, and the dissemination of images. It reminds us that even seemingly simple objects can carry complex meanings and histories.