Aanbidding van het Christuskind door martelaren 1629

Christoffel van Sichem II created this woodcut, “Adoration of the Christ Child by Martyrs,” around the early 17th century in the Netherlands. It depicts the infant Jesus hovering above a group of adoring martyrs, each identifiable by their symbolic attributes of martyrdom, like Saint Barbara, who is carrying a tower. This image reflects the religious and political climate of the Dutch Republic at the time. Following independence from Spain, the Protestant Dutch Republic experienced religious conflicts between the more Calvinist and more moderate factions. This woodcut could represent the period’s heightened interest in the spiritual and the divine. Additionally, images of martyrdom were popular during the Counter-Reformation. As art historians, we use visual and textual analysis to understand the cultural values that this print embodies. Close examination and historical context will reveal even more about its role in the religious landscape of the Dutch Golden Age.