Christus voor Annas en de verloochening van Petrus 1590 - 1622

Curator: Ah, yes. Here we have "Christ before Annas and the Denial of Peter," an etching, engraving, and line engraving rendered in ink and pen attributed to Boëtius Adamsz. Bolswert, sometime between 1590 and 1622. You can find it here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: The contrast is just…wow. A very sharp, stark feel to the entire piece, even though there’s so much detail crammed into every corner. I am overwhelmed and impressed at once! The light feels almost weaponized. Curator: Indeed, Bolswert's piece masterfully depicts two biblical scenes. On the right, we see Christ before Annas, the High Priest, while, in the background, there’s Peter’s denial. Note how power is presented... Editor: How the High Priest is elevated above everyone on a stage, his opulent garb standing in stark contrast to the other figures—all bathed in shadow as he is glowing with light. He really commands the eye. A true spotlight. But, there's the more somber scene behind... Curator: It's also the perfect visual juxtaposition: one man exercises his institutional power while, simultaneously, another denies spiritual leadership under pressure from an unseen threat. The socio-political pressures weighing down on the personal... Editor: Look, I also think the body language tells a silent story, too. Jesus almost seems resigned. While everyone around him has sharp angular forms, a dynamic stance and violent emotions, He seems unbothered, placid. Is there almost a peace on his face, would you say? Curator: Perhaps. But consider how prints functioned in this period: disseminating narratives, solidifying religious and political ideologies. It served a purpose in early-modern visual culture...it’s about power, in every sense. Editor: Fair point. There's just something in his serenity—or perhaps what I perceive to be serenity—that almost feels, dare I say, subversive. Defiance even if a bit passive. And those guards almost obscuring him! Almost like hiding the truth of a figure, in a way. I can feel the mood now too, just despair and uncertainty everywhere. Curator: It’s quite potent, even centuries later. This collision of the historical, social, and spiritual… Editor: Truly. Bolswert asks quite a few questions of his audience even now about the value of sacrifice. What we are willing to give up for our beliefs and fear... or lack thereof, thereof.