Christuskind met passiesymbolen 1586 - 1650

Cornelis Galle I created this engraving, titled *Christuskind met passiesymbolen*, which translates to *Christ Child with Symbols of the Passion,* sometime before his death in 1650. Galle was an engraver from Antwerp, a city which served as a major site for the Catholic Counter-Reformation. The engraving depicts the infant Christ surrounded by symbols of his future suffering. It reflects a historical context steeped in religious and political upheaval, yet speaks to our more intimate, human experience of faith. The imagery evokes the narratives of sacrifice that underscore the Christian faith, a belief system which gained considerable power at the time. Consider the way the artist uses the Christ child to represent the weight and burden of his destiny. The visual representation blends vulnerability and the divine. By merging innocence with symbols of violence, Galle prompts reflection on themes of destiny, sacrifice, and the emotional complexities inherent in religious devotion.