Geseling van Christus 1560 - 1600

"Geseling van Christus," or "Flagellation of Christ," was made by Johann Sadeler I around the turn of the 17th century. It's an engraving, meaning that the image was incised into a metal plate, inked, and then printed onto paper. The technique lends itself to very fine detail, which you can see in the musculature of the figures and the elaborate ornamentation surrounding them. The lines create a sense of depth and shadow, heightening the drama of the scene. Look closely, and you'll see that the composition is not just a depiction of a biblical story. It's also an impressive feat of workmanship. Engraving was a highly skilled craft, demanding years of training. The engraver had to be both an artist and a technician, capable of translating an image into a series of precisely controlled lines. Prints like this were luxury goods, enjoyed by collectors. In its time, this engraving elevated the status of printmaking as a refined art form.