Christuskind slapend op een kruis wordt door twee engelen aanbeden 1637

Abraham Bosse created this engraving, *Christ Child Sleeping on a Cross Adored by Two Angels*, during the 17th century. Bosse lived in a time where religious and political tensions shaped artistic expression. Here, we see the infant Christ child asleep on a cross, surrounded by roses, while angels look on from above. The image is ripe with symbols of innocence and future sacrifice. The inscription, "I sleep among the flowers, yet my heart watches among the thorns", speaks to the dual nature of Christ's life – beauty and suffering. During the 17th-century the visual representation of religious stories served to reinforce cultural and religious identities. Bosse’s choice to depict the Christ child in such a vulnerable state invites contemplation on themes of sacrifice, redemption and the emotional weight carried by such a young figure. The sentiment is a familiar one, of beauty amidst suffering, a theme that transcends its original religious context.