Elevation of the Cross 1685 - 1722

This etching, "Elevation of the Cross," was rendered by Claude Gillot around the turn of the 18th century. The central image—Christ suspended on the cross—is a potent symbol of sacrifice, suffering, and, ultimately, redemption, deeply embedded in the collective consciousness of Western culture. The act of raising the cross, depicted here with tremendous physical effort, resonates with ancient rituals of elevation found across cultures. Think of the raising of obelisks in ancient Egypt, or victory columns in Rome, acts meant to invoke divine power. But here, there is a sharp contrast: Christ's elevation leads not to earthly glory, but to profound spiritual significance. The cross, once a symbol of Roman power, is transformed into an emblem of divine love and human salvation. Consider its appearance in later works—perhaps in the stark, abstract forms of a Piet Mondrian, where the cross becomes a symbol stripped of its religious context, yet still carrying the weight of its historical and emotional power. The symbol is never truly dead, but rather it reappears in an ever-changing cultural and emotional landscape.