Hemelvaart van Christus by Christoffel van (II) Sichem

Hemelvaart van Christus

1629 - 1740

0:00
0:00

Artwork details

Medium
print, engraving
Dimensions
height 110 mm, width 76 mm, height 171 mm, width 135 mm
Location
Rijksmuseum
Copyright
Rijks Museum: Open Domain

Tags

# 

aged paper

# 

page thumbnail

# 

narrative-art

# 

print

# 

sketch book

# 

traditional media

# 

figuration

# 

personal sketchbook

# 

journal

# 

ink colored

# 

line

# 

sketchbook drawing

# 

history-painting

# 

storyboard and sketchbook work

# 

northern-renaissance

# 

sketchbook art

# 

engraving

About this artwork

Christoffel van Sichem II created this woodcut of the Ascension of Christ in the 17th century. The ascending Christ is the dominant motif, surrounded by angels and clouds, a conventional representation of divine ascension. The gesture of upward movement is an ancient visual trope, found even in pre-Christian art. Think of the winged figures in Mesopotamian reliefs or the ascending heroes in Roman art, all echoing a desire for transcendence. This motif reappears throughout the medieval and Renaissance periods to symbolize spiritual elevation. The cloud, here, serves as a divine vehicle, akin to the chariots of gods in classical mythology. It illustrates a psychoanalytic concept: humanity’s deep-seated need to visualize the intangible, turning abstract spiritual yearning into tangible forms. The Ascension is not merely a depiction of Christ's departure but a potent symbol that touches our collective memory, reminding us of our own aspirations for spiritual liberation.

Comments

Be the first to share your thoughts about this work.