Chilkia leest de wetten voor aan koning Josia 1645 - 1646

Christoffel van Sichem II created this woodcut, "Chilkia leest de wetten voor aan koning Josia," in the Netherlands in the early 17th century. The print depicts a scene from the Hebrew Bible, in which the high priest Hilkiah reads the rediscovered Book of the Law to King Josiah. The image’s power resides in its depiction of authority, both divine and temporal. Notice how the architecture and the patterned floor create a space of formal power. The composition places Hilkiah, with the sacred text, at the center, while Josiah, adorned with royal attributes, listens attentively. In the context of the Dutch Republic, where religious and political authority were subjects of intense debate, this image could be interpreted in different ways. Was it a reminder of the importance of religious law in governance? Or a caution against the abuse of power, urging rulers to heed divine guidance? To understand its place in Dutch society, we can look at period pamphlets, sermons, and political treatises, piecing together how images like this one participated in the public discourse of the time.