Christ Crucified 1553 - 1619

Hieronymus Wierix created this engraving titled "Christ Crucified" in the late 16th or early 17th century. Wierix, living in Antwerp during the religious and political turmoil of the Reformation, was known for his detailed religious scenes. This work depicts the crucifixion of Jesus, surrounded by onlookers—soldiers, mourners, and the curious. The starkness of Christ's suffering body contrasts with the ornate armor of the soldiers, reflecting the era’s complex relationship between faith, power, and violence. The gaze of the women at the foot of the cross draw us into the emotional heart of the scene. Their grief, rendered with delicate lines, underscores the human cost of this divine event. Wierix masterfully uses light and shadow to intensify the drama, inviting viewers to reflect on themes of sacrifice and redemption, so central to the period. Wierix's "Christ Crucified" is more than a religious image; it's a potent expression of a society grappling with questions of belief, authority, and the ever-present realities of human suffering.