Een engel werpt een draak in een put; een engel toont Johannes de Evangelist het nieuwe Jeruzalem before 1646

Curator: Here we have an engraving from before 1646, made by Christoffel van Sichem the Younger, titled "Een engel werpt een draak in een put; een engel toont Johannes de Evangelist het nieuwe Jeruzalem." It’s part of the collection at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: What strikes me immediately is the density of line and the sharp contrasts. It feels almost claustrophobic despite depicting grand, heavenly visions. Curator: Yes, the tightly packed lines do create that intensity. This work illustrates scenes from the Book of Revelation. You see an angel casting a dragon into a pit – a potent image of the triumph over evil. And simultaneously, in the upper portion, an angel reveals the New Jerusalem to John. Editor: The symbolic weight is certainly palpable. The dragon, of course, represents Satan. And the New Jerusalem – depicted as a somewhat medieval city – symbolizes ultimate salvation. Curator: Precisely. The dragon’s fall is a common motif, referencing not just religious text but longstanding concepts of sacrifice and redemption within human culture. Editor: The formal composition reinforces this symbolic duality. The strong diagonal created by the angel thrusting downward clashes directly with the ascending cityscape of the New Jerusalem. The line quality is also critical: varied weights create definition despite being black and white. Curator: Also note how Sichem uses scale to establish importance. The angels are larger than the architectural details, which gives viewers an indication of their powerful role in these celestial events. We see established iconographic tropes used to depict these events that held deep psychological meaning for its intended audience. Editor: Though relatively small in size as a print, it is a powerful demonstration of how lines can convey a sense of epic narrative scope and the battle between the material and immaterial. It seems a stark lesson communicated with skillful artistic control. Curator: Indeed. Considering this, its cultural relevance echoes even today. Editor: Yes. This engraving speaks of artistic innovation, where strong lines create something more resonant and universal.