Christus bezwijkt onder het gewicht van het kruis c. 1576 - 1624

Francesco Villamena made this print of Christ collapsing under the weight of the cross sometime before his death in 1624. It's a powerful image, but it's also an image of power. Consider the cultural context of early modern Rome, where the Pope was not only a religious leader but also a temporal ruler. The imagery of the Passion became a potent tool for asserting authority. Notice the Roman soldier, prominently displaying the 'SPQR' banner – a symbol of the Roman Senate and People. Here, it represents the authority that condemns Christ. The image emphasizes Christ's suffering but also subtly reinforces the power of the Roman Catholic Church as the inheritor of that ancient authority. To truly understand this print, we might delve into the history of Papal Rome, examining its political struggles and artistic patronage. This kind of work shows how art is never truly separate from the social and institutional forces that shape its creation and meaning.