Hoekfontein met een standbeeld van Christus onder een baldakijn 1568

This is a 16th-century print by Joannes van Doetechum, depicting a corner fountain with a statue of Christ beneath a canopy. The prominent symbol here is Christ as Salvator Mundi, his hand raised in blessing. The gesture, rooted in ancient Roman rhetoric, conveys authority. This motif of Christ’s blessing has echoed through art history. Consider Byzantine mosaics where Christ Pantocrator raises his hand in a similar manner, to Renaissance paintings, the gesture persists, albeit subtly altered by cultural and aesthetic shifts. Even today, we see echoes of this gesture in secular contexts. Christ stands under a baldachin, a symbol of power, usually reserved for emperors and saints. What does it mean to see them combined here? Are we not all subjects of Christ? This image is passed down through history, shifting in meaning, as we continue to grapple with the emotional weight of faith and authority.