Calvary (Golgotha) 1517

Lucas van Leyden rendered this sheet with pen and brown ink, depicting the crucifixion in a landscape seething with figures. Dominating the scene are the three crosses, stark symbols of suffering and sacrifice in Christian iconography. The cross, initially a symbol of Roman oppression, was transformed into a beacon of hope and redemption. Consider, though, its pre-Christian roots as a symbol of cosmic order, linking heaven and earth, a meaning that subtly persists even here. At the foot of the cross, we see Mary, embodying grief, a universal symbol of maternal sorrow echoing through time, from ancient lamentations to modern-day expressions of loss. Note how this motif echoes through time, as a profound expression of human emotion. In van Leyden's vision, Golgotha becomes a stage where the drama of human existence unfolds. The symbols, like actors, play their roles, eliciting a visceral response that transcends the boundaries of time.