Hemelvaart van Christus 1587 - 1589

This print, "The Ascension of Christ", was made by Johann Sadeler I in the late 16th century. Sadeler was a Flemish engraver, active in a period when the printing press had transformed the circulation of images and ideas. Consider the public role of religious art at that time. The visual codes here would have been widely understood: the ascending Christ, wreathed in celestial light, contrasted with the earthbound apostles. This imagery reinforces a hierarchical worldview, common in 16th-century Europe, and perpetuated by the Catholic Church. Sadeler's engraving is a reminder that art, even when it depicts seemingly timeless religious scenes, is always shaped by the social and political conditions of its time. By consulting historical sources, such as religious texts and social histories, we can better understand the meanings that this image held for its original audience.