Kruisdraging met Veronica 1602

This engraving of Christ carrying the cross, accompanied by Veronica, was made in 1567 by Cornelis Cort. It shows us how, in the 16th century, religious imagery helped to maintain cultural values. Cort was Dutch but spent much of his career in Italy. Here, he adopts Italian Renaissance styles, evident in the figures' muscularity and the dramatic composition. These devices were used to stir emotions and to emphasize Christ’s suffering and sacrifice. This was a fraught time in Europe as the Protestant Reformation was challenging the Catholic Church's dominance. Images like this acted as a powerful tool for reinforcing traditional beliefs and values in the face of that challenge. Studying Cort's prints, alongside other artworks and historical documents, shows us the complex interplay between art, religion, and society in early modern Europe. It also raises fascinating questions about the power of images to shape our understanding of the world.