Christus bidt in de hof van Getsemane 1632 - 1637

Nicolaes de Bruyn made this print, "Christ Praying in the Garden of Gethsemane," sometime before his death in 1656, using the process of engraving. Look closely, and you'll see the whole image is built from tiny, carefully placed lines incised into a copper plate. The artist would have used a tool called a burin to physically cut these lines, a labor-intensive process that demanded incredible precision. The depth and density of these lines determine the tones and textures we see, from the dark shadows of the garden to the ethereal glow of the angel. Engraving was a skilled trade. De Bruyn would likely have trained for years to master it. This print wasn't just a work of art, it was evidence of his technical prowess. The very act of making, the slow and deliberate carving, imbues the image with a sense of devotion, echoing the solemnity of the scene it depicts. So, next time you look at a print, remember the hand that made it, and the hours of labor etched into its very surface.