Lichaam van de dode Christus 1616 - 1657

This print of the dead Christ was made by Paulus Pontius, sometime in the mid-17th century. Pontius was a master engraver, and the key thing to understand about this image is the sheer technical facility that it represents. Notice how the varying pressure of the burin, a steel cutting tool, creates a range of light and shadow. Look closely and you'll see that the composition is made up of thousands of tiny lines, cross-hatched to create areas of tone. The whole thing would have been carefully planned in advance, a testament to Pontius's skill in translating an image into a completely different medium. Prints like this played a crucial role in disseminating images widely, well before photography. Pontius was not only a virtuoso craftsman, but also an important link in the chain of artistic production, making religious subjects available to a broad audience. This was a skilled, laborious process, integral to the artistic and social landscape of the time.