Christus voor Kajafas gebracht 1629

Christoffel van Sichem II made this woodcut print, "Christus voor Kajafas gebracht," sometime in the early 17th century. The image is made from a block of wood, painstakingly carved to leave the lines you see raised on the surface. Ink was then applied to this surface and pressed onto paper. The technique demanded both physical strength and immense skill, and although it could be used to make multiples, each print would have been the result of many hours of labor. Consider how the linear quality of the image reinforces the story. Sichem has used simple marks to describe the scene, with parallel lines that give form and volume. And notice how the artist has used these to imbue the print with a sense of drama and tension, befitting the subject matter. Paying attention to materials and making helps us appreciate the level of artistry involved in even a small, relatively humble work like this, expanding our appreciation of its historical and cultural significance.