Gelijkenis van het bruiloftsfeest 1629

Christoffel van Sichem II created this woodcut, "Gelijkenis van het bruiloftsfeest," sometime before his death in 1658. The immediate impression is one of a teeming stage, a dense layering of figures and architectural elements meticulously carved from the woodblock. The composition is structured around a central, elevated platform where the King sits, flanked by supplicants and onlookers. Sichem segments the background into distinct zones which fractures the illusion of depth while creating a layered narrative. These divisions invite us to consider the relationship between spectacle, authority, and chaos. The meticulous lines and stark contrasts create a visual tension, a dynamic interplay between order and disorder. The very act of carving, of making deliberate cuts and impressions, speaks to a broader cultural moment where representation itself is being questioned and redefined. In the end, Sichem’s use of line and composition compels us to question the fixed meanings of power, representation, and the very nature of narrative itself.