Christus wekt dochter van Jairus op 1485 - 1491

This small woodcut, attributed to the Master of Antwerp, depicts Christ raising the daughter of Jairus. The scene, rendered with the directness characteristic of early printmaking, invites us to consider the social role of religious imagery in its time. Prints like these were produced and distributed widely in the Netherlands, around the late 15th and early 16th centuries, and served as vital tools for disseminating religious narratives to a broad audience. The story of Jairus' daughter, a tale of faith and divine intervention, speaks to the cultural and spiritual values of the time. Note how the artist uses simple yet effective visual codes to convey the miraculous nature of the event, such as the halo around Christ’s head. Understanding the art of this period requires us to look at the social, economic, and religious contexts in which it was created. Studying the archives of religious orders and workshops of Antwerp will reveal the network of production and distribution. The image is a reminder that art is always embedded in a specific time and place.