Embleem met man die portret schildert van Christus op de kruisweg 1620

This engraving, made by Boëtius Adamsz. Bolswert, probably in the early 17th century, is an object lesson in the power of reproduction. The material is humble: ink on paper, worked with the aid of sharp tools to create myriad fine lines. But these lines add up to a complex scene. In it, we see an artist diligently painting an image of Christ carrying the cross, seemingly directed by an angel. The scene is a layered meditation on the act of image-making itself. Look closely, and you'll see that the tools of the artist are given as much attention as the figures in the composition. The very act of printmaking – producing images in multiples – becomes a central theme. The artist's studio, the religious subject, the method of engraving itself: all speak to the idea of dissemination, of spreading a message far and wide. In the context of religious emblem books, this simple print becomes a powerful engine of faith.