Christus geeft de sleutels van de hemel aan Petrus 1629

Christoffel van Sichem II created this woodcut depicting "Christ Giving the Keys of Heaven to St. Peter" during a time of intense religious conflict in Europe. Sichem, working in the Netherlands, navigated the fraught landscape of religious representation after the Protestant Reformation. Religious art became a battleground, with artists making choices that reflected, or defied, prevailing theological perspectives. This image presents us with Peter, the first Pope, receiving the keys to heaven, thus visually affirming the authority of the Catholic Church, a bold statement in the Protestant Netherlands. Consider how the artist's choice of medium - the woodcut - makes this image more accessible for wider distribution. Sichem’s work isn't just a depiction of a biblical scene, it’s an assertion of religious and political identity in a fragmented world. It invites us to consider the personal courage required to produce such imagery, and to reflect on the enduring power of art.