Christus geneest de zieke van Bethesda c. 1540 - 1550

Niccolò Vicentino made this print, "Christ Healing the Paralytic at Bethesda", around the mid-16th century. It's a woodcut, meaning the artist used knives and gouges to carve away the areas of a woodblock that he didn't want to print. Woodcuts like this were essentially the mass media of their day, cheaper and quicker than engraving on metal. The block itself is the primary material here, its relative softness allowing for broad, expressive cuts, and because of its inherent grain the artist would have had to carefully consider the direction in which the wood would split, showing great mastery and expertise over the block. The final print is a testament to the labor and skill involved in this process. The bold lines and high contrast create a dramatic scene, while the textured surface of the wood adds a tactile quality. By understanding the material and the process, we can appreciate the artistry involved and the role this print played in disseminating religious imagery at the time.