Christus stelt zijn discipelen een kind tot voorbeeld Possibly 1582 - 1654

This print, “Christus stelt zijn discipelen een kind tot voorbeeld”, was made by Pieter van der Borcht the Elder around the late 16th century. It depicts a moment from the Gospel of Luke, where Christ uses a child to teach his disciples about humility. The image invites reflection on the social hierarchies of the time, perhaps questioning the established order where children held a lower status. The landscape in the background, divided between a fortified castle and a humble village, mirrors this contrast between power and simplicity. Van der Borcht was working during the rise of the Dutch Republic and its conflicts with the Spanish Empire, so the theme of humility and moral authority takes on a subversive tone. Consider how the artist uses the child as a symbol to challenge the power structures of his society, asking us to reconsider what truly matters. Doesn’t it make you wonder about the stories we tell ourselves about who deserves to be heard?