Soldaten die Christus omsingelen vallen op de grond 1573

Philips Galle's engraving presents us with a dramatic scene: soldiers, tasked with arresting Christ, are instead felled by an unseen force. Note the soldiers, collapsing as if struck by divine power. Their fall mirrors similar depictions of conversion or divine intervention, echoing the motif of sudden, revelatory experiences found across various religious traditions. One can trace the physical collapse as a symbol of spiritual awakening even to the pagan world, such as the conversion of Saint Paul, whose fall from his horse represents the shattering of his former beliefs. The image plays on our collective memory, evoking a sense of awe and the overwhelming power of the divine. In viewing this image, we are not merely observing a biblical scene, but engaging with a visual language that speaks to profound, subconscious understanding of faith, power, and transformation. The motifs are not static relics of the past, but living symbols that continue to evolve and resonate with us today.