Heidens offer van koning Achaz 1645 - 1646

Christoffel van Sichem II created this woodcut, Heidens offer van koning Achaz, likely in the early 17th century. Woodcut is a relief printing process. The artist carves an image into a block of wood, removing the areas that will not be inked. What remains raised is then inked, and the image transferred to paper under pressure. Here, Sichem has used the graphic language inherent to the medium - thin parallel lines - to articulate form and shadow. Look closely, and you can see how the repeated cuts can create texture to create tonal variation. The lines create a real sense of drama and movement in the flames. The nature of woodcut, a relatively accessible and reproducible medium, lends itself to the dissemination of religious and moral narratives. The labor is in the careful carving of the block, a craft skill that allowed Sichem to share this dramatic biblical scene with a wide audience. Appreciating the skill and labor involved in such a print challenges any hierarchy separating it from more traditionally valued art forms.