Resurrection, from Passion of Christ 1575 - 1600

Jan Sadeler the Elder created this engraving titled 'Resurrection, from Passion of Christ' sometime in the late 16th Century. Here, a resurrected Christ floats above his tomb, while Roman soldiers are scattered below. Sadeler was working in the Netherlands at a time of religious and political conflict. He was part of a large and successful family of printmakers, and specialized in allegorical prints. The conventions for this sort of imagery were changing as the old certainties of the Church were challenged by new theological ideas and scientific discoveries. Note the globe above the tomb, wrapped by a serpent. What can the resurrection mean in this new and unstable worldview? To answer this question, we might explore the intellectual milieu in which Sadeler was working, and the religious climate in the Netherlands at that time. Looking at period documents – letters, sermons, and other engravings – can help us understand the nuances of this powerful imagery.