Doornenkroning van Christus 1560 - 1600

Here at the Rijksmuseum is Johann Sadeler I’s engraving, "The Crowning with Thorns," made around the late 16th century. Sadeler was part of a generation of artists who navigated the religious and political upheavals of the Dutch Golden Age. In this print, we witness a moment of profound humiliation and suffering. The tormentors surrounding Christ embody the social and political forces that sought to oppress and silence marginalized voices. Note the composition, how Christ is centered yet vulnerable, seated but not in power. The gazes, the gestures, the very architecture of the scene conspire to diminish his humanity. Sadeler’s print invites us to reflect on the ways power and authority can be wielded to dehumanize individuals and communities. What does it mean to witness suffering, to be complicit in it, or to resist it? Consider the emotional weight of this scene, and the questions it raises about justice, compassion, and the human condition.