Children's Crusade 1545 - 1555

This woodcut, "Children's Crusade," was created around 1515–1550 by the Monogrammist LIW. At first glance, the composition appears chaotic, filled with stark contrasts and a sense of unsettling activity. Dark lines define the figures and objects, creating a tense and busy scene. The print reveals a world turned upside down, a carnivalesque inversion of established order. Look at the figures hoisting other bodies—are they human or demonic?—on makeshift gallows; this challenges our understanding of justice and authority. The artist uses a semiotic system of signs where traditional symbols of power are mocked and destabilized. The formal qualities of the woodcut—its stark lines, crowded composition, and disturbing imagery—reflect a period of intense religious and social upheaval. This artwork's enduring power lies in its ability to challenge fixed meanings, inviting continuous reinterpretation of its unsettling visual language.