Visioen van Cornelius 1629 - 1646

This is Christoffel van Sichem the Younger's woodcut 'Vision of Cornelius,' made in the Netherlands, sometime in the first half of the 17th century. It depicts a scene from the Acts of the Apostles, in which the Roman centurion Cornelius receives a vision instructing him to seek out the Apostle Peter. The print’s visual codes would have resonated with its early modern audience: the classical architecture, Roman armor, and the somewhat theatrical presentation of the scene, all point to the story’s origins in the ancient world. Yet Sichem updates the setting to his own time. The figures are dressed in contemporary clothing, and the room is furnished in a style that would have been familiar to Dutch viewers. In the context of the Dutch Republic’s struggle for independence from Spain, the story of Cornelius – a Roman soldier who converts to Christianity – would have been particularly resonant. It speaks to the universality of faith and the possibility of redemption, even for those associated with worldly power. The meaning of this woodcut is contingent on these social and institutional contexts. Further research into the history of Dutch printmaking, as well as the religious and political climate of the time, can help us understand the image even better.