Maria gekroond door Christus 1570 - 1659

This print, “Maria crowned by Christ” was made by an anonymous artist. The composition is dominated by the oval shape encasing the figures of Christ and Mary, which immediately evokes a sense of enclosure. The stark contrast between light and shadow emphasizes the muscularity of Christ, who stands bare-chested, and the more modestly rendered Mary, her gaze lowered. Note how the artist directs our eyes: the dove hovers above, acting as a fulcrum balancing the composition, while the crown, held aloft by Christ, introduces a visual tension between divine authority and submission. The cherubic figures at the sides, rendered with soft, rounded lines, offer a counterpoint to the sharper, more defined lines of the central figures. The image invites us to reflect on the hierarchical structures of religious iconography and the semiotic interplay between power, humility, and divinity. It reminds us that meaning is not fixed but negotiated through visual language and cultural context.