Heilige Malchus van Chalcis als kluizenaar 1644

This print of Saint Malchus as a hermit was created by Christoffel van Sichem the Younger, likely in the early 17th century, using woodcut. The image’s stark contrasts and distinct lines are characteristic of the woodcut technique, where the artist carves away the negative space around a design on a block of wood, leaving the lines to be printed raised. This painstaking process demanded incredible precision. Sichem’s skill is evident in the fine details. Note the texture of Malchus’s garments, the natural forms of the landscape, and the rosary beads around his waist. But the labor extends beyond Sichem himself. The making of paper in the 17th century was also a complex, material-intensive process, as was the harvesting and processing of wood for the block. When we consider the wider implications of the image, it becomes clear that the final print is the result of various skilled hands. This reminds us of the deep connection between art, labor, and the wider economic structures of the time.