Christus wordt gekruisigd 1585 - 1646

This engraving, made by Pieter de Jode I, captures the moment when Christ is nailed to the cross. It is an agonising scene filled with symbols of mortality and sacrifice. The cross itself is a powerful motif that extends far beyond Christian iconography. Its presence is deeply rooted in the human psyche, representing the intersection of the earthly and divine. In ancient cultures, the cross symbolized cosmic balance and the four elements. Even before Christianity, it appeared in various forms across different cultures, carrying meanings of life, death, and regeneration. The act of nailing Christ to the cross, surrounded by tools of execution, invokes primal fears of suffering. Similar images of torture can be traced back to ancient rituals and myths. Consider how these echoes from the past reverberate through time, resurfacing in new contexts, each bearing the weight of collective memory and subconscious associations. This image of suffering, with its roots in ancient symbols, touches us deeply because it taps into the shared human experience of pain, sacrifice, and the search for redemption. The symbols within it continue to evolve, bearing new significance and emotional resonance through the ages.