Christus aan het kruis before 1646

Christoffel van Sichem II created this woodcut, "Christ on the Cross," around the early 17th century. Immediately, you're drawn into a dynamic scene, crowded with figures and symbols rendered in stark black and white. The composition teeters between chaos and order, reflecting the emotional intensity of the crucifixion. Van Sichem masterfully uses the woodcut medium to create texture and depth. Look at the sky, where the sun and moon are each held aloft by figures contorted in anguish, a symbolic eclipse marking Christ’s death. Below, the crowd seethes with a mix of grief and aggression, their faces etched with emotion. The lines are not merely descriptive; they convey a sense of unrest, of a world thrown into turmoil. The artist uses the formal elements to challenge the viewer. Is this a depiction of religious dogma, or is van Sichem inviting us to question the very foundations of belief through his unsettling imagery? The woodcut serves as a site for continuous questioning, its meaning evolving with each new encounter.