Kindermoord te Betlehem 1637

Editor: This is "Kindermoord te Betlehem," or "Massacre of the Innocents" by Crispijn van den Queborn, created in 1637. It's an engraving currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. The chaos depicted is really striking, like a flurry of arms and desperate faces. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The immediate visual impact resides in its stark contrasts. The artist manipulates light and shadow to guide the viewer's eye. Observe how the artist uses diagonals to create tension, mirroring the scene's brutality. The arrangement doesn't allow rest; every figure pushes and pulls against the composition. What strikes you about the materiality of the print? Editor: Well, being an engraving, it relies entirely on line work, right? It’s amazing how much drama and depth are achieved with just that. The contrast between the frantic figures in the foreground and the implied cityscape in the background also enhances the feeling of confinement. Curator: Precisely. Note how the dense hatching describes form and volume. Where is your eye drawn, initially, when looking at this work? What causes that point of attraction? Editor: I'm drawn to the woman at the bottom centre with her hands raised; her eyes stare up. Also the repetition of these gestures—the pleading, the struggling. Curator: Those gestural echoes structure the emotional rhythm. Queborn guides the eye through successive figures, ensuring that the composition amplifies the narrative. Each line seems calculated to generate unease. How has our discussion shifted your reading? Editor: I now recognize how skillfully Queborn used simple lines to create the dynamism and horror of the depicted event. It’s all about the internal relationships within the engraving itself. Curator: And the effect is potent and lingers, an impressive testament to form conveying powerful content.