Triomf van Job 1559

Curator: Dirck Volckertsz Coornhert's engraving, "The Triumph of Job," made in 1559, offers a compelling, if bleak, visual narrative. It resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first impression is one of oppressive weight. The composition feels almost painfully laborious, particularly given the density of line work. What story is it trying to convey? Curator: This piece illustrates the trials of Job from the Old Testament. He is the figure riding atop the tortoise, emblematic of his patience. His persistence in faith even through unimaginable suffering. The men leading him with a demon reflect his human burden of both betrayal and spiritual attack. Editor: Interesting! Focusing on materials, the work in metal necessitates planning, design transfer, and careful tool selection to produce this kind of detail and tonal control. Notice how different depths of lines create shadows, with some figures seemingly etched to life and others faded and weak. The printing process also required considerable labour to distribute the edition. It strikes me how much human input was necessary to depict this spiritual perseverance. Curator: Absolutely. Symbols speak here, too. The balance on the banner underscores divine judgment. The tortoise itself signifies not just patience, but also resilience. In an era of religious upheaval, it gave solace and perhaps even guidance. Editor: The visual language truly underscores how much physical, almost torturous work is associated to endurance. But does the religious and symbolic power that you find redeem some of the labour required of the artisans? Curator: In a way, yes. Art, in its time, also offered a tangible connection to spiritual and ethical endurance, embodied and performed through the maker. I still grapple with Job’s unearned suffering. Editor: And I think the artwork offers an insight into how religious suffering gets distributed, transformed and consumed as cultural meaning.