Christus voor Kajafas 1648

Christoffel van Sichem II created this woodcut of Christ Before Caiaphas in the Netherlands, sometime in the early to mid-17th century. The work depicts a moment from the New Testament, specifically the trial of Jesus before the high priest Caiaphas. Sichem was one of a number of artists in the Netherlands at this time responding to the Protestant Reformation through a revival of religious imagery. This print presents us with a clear opposition between a serene, almost luminous Christ, and the shadowy figures of the establishment. The powerful leaders are physically elevated, seated above him. Roman soldiers violently escort Christ, who is brought low. The artist uses these visual cues to tell a story about power, judgement, and the corruption of institutions. As art historians, we can use sources from the period to understand the social and political context of this image, finding in it a mirror of its own time.