Christus voor de hogepriester Kajafas 1600 - 1620

Elias van den Bossche’s engraving, “Christ before the High Priest Caiaphas” depicts a biblical scene of profound injustice. In it we see Christ, fallen to his knees, as he is being tormented by the high priest’s guards. Prints like this one circulated widely, shaping public sentiment and reinforcing religious narratives. Consider the power dynamics at play here: Christ, though divine, is rendered vulnerable, subjected to the whims of earthly authority. The artist invites us to reflect on the themes of power, justice, and the abuse of authority. Look at the faces of the guards. They are brutal, emotionless, acting out the will of the state. “Are these people truly free, or are they also prisoners of a system” one might ask? The artist challenges us to recognize the suffering of the marginalized and to question the systems that perpetuate injustice. Through the intimate portrayal of Christ’s suffering, the artist urges us to confront the ethical and moral implications of power.