Geboorte van Christus 1554

Giorgio Ghisi created this engraving, "Geboorte van Christus" – or "The Birth of Christ" – sometime between 1515 and 1582, a period marked by the seismic shifts of the Reformation. Ghisi, working in the shadow of religious upheaval, offers us a scene teeming with both the celestial and the earthly. Angels radiate above, their light bathing the humble manger, while shepherds gather, their faces a mix of awe and curiosity. But consider this birth not just as a divine event, but as a challenge to the established order. Christ, born into poverty, disrupts the hierarchy. Look closely, and you will see how Ghisi's work captures the tension between the sacred narrative and the social realities of his time. It’s an invitation to reflect on the power of faith, the hope for redemption, and the radical idea that divinity might be found in the most unexpected of places.