Christuskind in nimbus 1617

This engraving by Christoffel van Sichem II depicts the Christ Child in a nimbus, adored by kneeling figures. The nimbus, or halo, is an ancient symbol of divine radiance, tracing back to Hellenistic and Roman art, where it signified power and divinity. Here, the Christ Child is bathed in light, a common motif found across cultures to signify enlightenment and the divine presence. The rays emanating from the child echo the sunburst, seen in ancient Egyptian depictions of solar deities, and later adopted into Christian iconography to emphasize Christ as the ‘Light of the World.’ Consider how the halo has evolved - from a simple disc in early Byzantine art to the elaborate, radiant displays of the Baroque period. This visual language resonates deeply within our collective memory, tapping into a primal understanding of light as life-giving and spiritually transformative. It is through this continuous thread of symbols that we, across centuries, connect with the divine.