Allegorie met Christus die zijn wonden toont c. 1537 - 1555

This engraving by Cornelis Bos, made around the 1540s in the Netherlands, presents a complex religious allegory. It invites us to consider the social and religious context in which it was made. The image depicts Christ displaying his wounds, surrounded by allegorical figures. We see both good and evil, from angels and a female figure, perhaps Eve or the Virgin Mary, to a defeated devil and the skeleton of death. This reflects the intense religious debates of the Reformation era. The Netherlands, at this time, was caught between Catholic orthodoxy and the rise of Protestantism. Bos, as an artist working in print, was keenly aware of the power of images to shape public opinion. His work, therefore, engages with the anxieties and hopes of a society undergoing profound religious and political change. To fully understand this print, historians can turn to theological texts, pamphlets, and other visual materials from the period. This allows us to appreciate how art served as a potent force in shaping the social and religious landscape of its time.