Paulus voor het Sanhedrin before 1646

Christoffel van Sichem II created this small woodcut, titled 'Paulus voor het Sanhedrin', using a block of wood and a sharp knife. With this technique, the artist would laboriously carve away the areas that were not to be printed, leaving behind a raised design. The block would then be inked and pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Look at the parallel lines, repeated patterns and dense cross-hatching which creates the details and shading. Each line cut by hand. This process was an essential means of mass communication, allowing images and text to be reproduced quickly and cheaply. In this work, the technique serves the story, bringing the narrative of Paul before the Sanhedrin to a wider audience. Considering the material and the process, we can see how craft and design played a crucial role in disseminating ideas and shaping public opinion. It challenges the traditional hierarchy between fine art and craft.