Christuskind bouwt een huis 1617

Christoffel van Sichem II created this woodcut print, titled "Christuskind bouwt een huis," likely in the early 17th century, a period marked by religious and social upheaval. In this piece, we see a young Jesus building a house, aided by angels, while Mary sits nearby spinning. It reflects the period's complex relationship with labor and spirituality. In depicting Christ engaged in carpentry, Van Sichem challenges traditional class structures and emphasizes the holiness of everyday work. The poem inscribed below the image suggests that choosing a humble life over worldly splendor is a virtue. The image also speaks to the intersection of gender and labor, with Mary depicted in the traditionally feminine role of spinning, while Jesus engages in the more masculine work of carpentry. What does it mean to see labor represented in a religious scene? How does it blur the lines between the sacred and the secular, and between social classes? The artist invites us to meditate on the value of humility, labor, and the choices we make between earthly power and spiritual fulfillment.