Christus en het teken van de vijgenboom 1590 - 1622

Boëtius Adamsz Bolswert created this small print, "Christus en het teken van de vijgenboom," using engraving. The composition is split into clear registers, creating a visual hierarchy. Below, a cluster of figures surrounds Christ, each face etched with expressive detail. Above, a barren fig tree stands beside another gathering of people with God overseeing the entire scene from billowing clouds. The stark contrast between the barren tree and the divine presence introduces a semiotic tension, challenging fixed meanings. The engraving technique, with its precise lines, creates texture and depth, inviting close inspection. Bolswert uses the structure of the composition to explore themes of divine presence, human experience, and the symbolic weight carried by simple objects like a fig tree. The detailed rendering and structured layout encourage us to engage with the print's content and consider the layers of meaning embedded within.