Fotoreproductie van de Bewening van Christus door Anthony van Dyck before 1861

This is Edmond Fierlants' photographic reproduction of Anthony van Dyck's 'Lamentation of Christ,' rendered in monochrome. The descending, limp body of Christ is the focal point, the swooning figures below him, shrouded in grief, echo motifs found in countless Deposition scenes throughout art history. Consider the "descent from the cross," a recurring image across centuries, and the associated pathos formula. Think of Rogier van der Weyden's Deposition at the Prado, where a similar arrangement evokes a profound sense of sorrow. The Virgin's posture, mirroring Christ's, appears and reappears, almost as if these gestures are embedded in our collective memory. Such imagery taps into deeply rooted psychological responses, the "pathos formula" evoking a sense of communal grief, and the recurring motifs acting as cultural mnemonics that bind generations. These symbols evolve, take on new meanings, and are continuously reshaped by the currents of time and culture.