Christus doopt in de Jordaan 1483 - 1486

This is the ‘Christus doopt in de Jordaan’, made by Meester van Haarlem. It is a woodcut, a printmaking technique. Prints like this one were instrumental in disseminating religious imagery across Europe. The print depicts the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist. The focus isn’t so much on the sacred event itself, but more on how the artist uses his own cultural context to tell the story. Take a moment to consider the cultural lens through which this biblical scene is portrayed. Note the clothing and the depiction of the town in the background. The scene is transported to the Netherlands of the late Middle Ages. The emotional resonance here lies in the act of translation, the way that the stories we tell about ourselves shape our understanding of the divine. This print encourages us to reflect on how cultural identity and historical context influence the reception and interpretation of religious narratives.