Maria voedt het Christuskind: nederigheid 1585 - 1588

This engraving, titled "Maria voedt het Christuskind: nederigheid," was created by Johann Sadeler I around the late 16th century. The composition, rendered in precise detail, uses line and form to convey a sense of serene humility. Observe how Sadeler employs linear perspective to draw our eyes from the foreground, where Mary nurses the infant Christ, to the background, where Joseph tends to the animals. This spatial arrangement subtly contrasts the divine intimacy of mother and child with the mundane tasks of earthly existence. The texture, achieved through meticulous hatching and cross-hatching, adds depth to the scene, emphasizing the rough materiality of the stable. The inscription "HVMILITAS" at the base acts as a signifier, directing our interpretation towards the theme of humility. Yet, the formal elements suggest something more profound. The stark contrast between light and shadow destabilizes any straightforward reading, inviting us to contemplate the complex interplay between the sacred and the everyday, challenging fixed notions of religious iconography.