Christ Carrying the Cross c. 1608 - 1653

Editor: This is Abraham Hogenberg's "Christ Carrying the Cross." It's an engraving, so the lines are incredibly precise. What's striking is the tension between the fine detail and the raw emotion of the scene. What stands out to you about the materials and production? Curator: The material reality of the wood of the cross, the metal of the implements of torture—these aren't just symbols. How does Hogenberg's printmaking process, the labor involved in each etched line, influence our understanding of the suffering depicted? Editor: That's a good point. The sheer work that goes into creating this image mirrors, in a way, the physical burden Christ bears. Curator: Exactly. Consider the role of the printing press itself. How does the mass production of this image, its circulation, impact the message and the consumption of religious narratives at the time? Editor: So it becomes not just a religious image, but a commodity, right? Something to be bought, sold, and traded. Curator: Precisely. Reflecting on this print, I’m struck by the link between artistic creation and economic systems, both then and now. Editor: I hadn’t thought about it that way before. The process becomes another layer of interpretation.