Ritueel, de kroning van Vondeling tot paus 1952 - 2005

Aat Verhoog made this print titled 'Ritueel, de kroning van Vondeling tot paus' and I'm really drawn to how it revels in process. Look at all those marks! There's a real density to the image, built up from a mesh of lines that feel both chaotic and controlled. The robes of the figures are especially fascinating, they seem to vibrate with detail. But what I find most compelling is the way Verhoog creates these blank, almost featureless faces. They are like empty vessels, inviting us to project our own interpretations onto them. And right there, in the midst of this solemn scene, is this surreal element of humor—the absurdity of the title matched by the bizarre imagery. It reminds me a little of Ensor, this taste for the grotesque, and the exploration of power structures. Ultimately, this print feels like an open-ended question, a space for contemplation rather than a definitive statement.