Kruisafneming before 1646

Christoffel van Sichem II made this small woodcut depicting the descent from the Cross. Woodcut is a relief printing process, where the artist carves away the areas that will not be inked, leaving the design standing in relief. The process lends itself to bold lines and strong contrasts, because it is difficult to achieve fine detail. You can see how Van Sichem has used the technique to emphasize the emotional intensity of the scene. The figures are rendered with stark simplicity, yet their grief is palpable. Woodcuts like this were relatively inexpensive to produce, and widely circulated. The very act of taking a knife to a block of wood connected the artist to a world of carpenters, furniture makers, and other tradespeople. In that sense, this print bridges the gap between high art and the crafts. It’s a reminder that even the most profound images have humble origins in material and making.