Kniender Johannesknabe mit dem auf dem Kreuz schlafenden Christuskind c. 1640 - 1650

Nicolas Poussin rendered this drawing, now in the Städel Museum, with delicate strokes of ink on paper. The scene depicts a young John the Baptist kneeling, while the Christ Child sleeps peacefully on a cross. The cross, a symbol of profound suffering and sacrifice, is here softened by the innocent slumber of the child. This juxtaposition is not new, but it is rather, a powerful emotional paradox. Consider the ancient Roman depictions of Cupid, often shown wielding weapons of war, yet embodying love. Similarly, the cross here transcends its immediate association with death to symbolize future redemption and hope. The visual echoes of the sleeping child atop the cross resonates deeply, engaging our collective memory of sacrifice and renewal. These symbols, passed down through generations, remind us of the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth.