Kerstwens met engelen die tegen het kwaad strijden 1939

This Christmas greeting card was made by Valentin le Campion, probably as a woodcut, back in 1939. Can you imagine carving away at the block bit by bit, to reveal the image? There’s a lot going on, right? A whole world is contained in that small rectangle. Angels battling demons above a cozy winter village. A strange juxtaposition, but maybe Campion was expressing the need for hope and salvation during a dark and uncertain time, as the world teetered on the brink of war. Look at those tiny figures huddling near the stable—it reminds me of the paintings of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, with its folksy charm. You can almost feel the cold nipping at your nose. But the angels, wielding spears, inject a sense of drama. Are they protecting the village? Or is it a commentary on the eternal struggle between good and evil? Whatever it is, Campion's print is like a message in a bottle, a little burst of light, sent out into the world.