Christus aan het kruis 1631

Paulus Pontius created this print of Christ on the cross sometime in the first half of the 17th century. Images like this played a powerful role in the religious and political landscape of the Dutch Republic. In this image, the suffering of Christ becomes a public spectacle. Angels surround him, as if the natural order is disrupted by this event. The print reflects the complex relationship between the Catholic Church and the newly formed Dutch Republic. The cultural references are very much of their time. During this period, the Church served as an important patron of the arts, commissioning works that reinforced its doctrines and authority. Prints like this one could be openly displayed in Churches and private homes. To understand it better, we might look at the history of religious art in the Netherlands. Understanding these social and institutional contexts can help us to understand the visual codes that lend the image meaning.