Transfiguratie (bovendeel) 1680

"Transfiguratie (bovendeel)" (1680) by Simon Thomassin depicts the biblical scene of Jesus' transfiguration. This etching, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, features a dramatic scene of Jesus ascending into the heavens with a halo and surrounded by clouds while two apostles, Peter and James, look on in awe. The composition is balanced with three figures ascending into the sky while two figures, possibly Moses and Elijah, kneel below. The etching, which highlights light and shadow through the use of cross-hatching, demonstrates Thomassin's skill as a printmaker and provides a powerful visual representation of a key moment in Christian theology.