Hellig Anders kors 1843

This print of the Hellig Anders kors was created by H. C. Henneberg in the 19th century. It’s made from a humble material, paper, but the magic is in the making. The technique used is wood engraving, a relief printing process. Think of it: the artist carefully carves an image into a block of wood. The remaining raised areas are inked, and then pressed onto paper. Look closely at the density of the marks, and you can feel the physical effort involved. The image is not only depicted, but also impressed on the paper. The stark contrast emphasizes the weight of the subject matter, the crucifixion. In a world increasingly dominated by mass production, practices such as wood engraving represent a direct connection to the hand of the maker, linking us to the labor involved in its creation. Appreciating the role of process and materiality in art is crucial to understanding the cultural values embedded within it.