Verzoeking van Christus door Satan 1590 - 1612

This is “Verzoeking van Christus door Satan”, an engraving by Boëtius Adamsz. Bolswert. The stark monochrome palette emphasizes form and texture, drawing us into a theological drama through the precise orchestration of light and shadow. Notice how the composition is structured around contrasting elements. Christ, bathed in divine radiance, is positioned against the shadowed figure of Satan. Bolswert uses the texture of the engraving lines to create a powerful contrast between the serenity of Christ and the disquieting presence of the tempter. The halo radiates outwards, destabilizing the darker, more compressed lines describing Satan. The semiotic contrast is stark: light as a signifier of purity against darkness as a marker of evil. This extends beyond mere aesthetics; it is a deliberate construction that invites us to decode the underlying structures of belief and morality. The very structure challenges the viewer to question the nature of temptation and faith.