Jesus Christ 1615 - 1674

Jean Lenfant created this engraving of Jesus Christ sometime in the 17th century. Note the ‘Salvator Mundi’ inscription, marking Jesus as the savior of the world. He holds a globe, topped with a cross, symbolizing his dominion over the earth. His other hand is raised in a gesture of blessing. Consider the symbolic weight of the globe. It's a motif that reaches back to antiquity, where emperors and gods were depicted holding orbs as emblems of power. Think of the Roman emperors with their globus cruciger, a clear antecedent to the Christian symbol we see here. This appropriation and transformation of symbols show how cultures adapt and reinvest old forms with new meanings. The gesture of blessing, too, is ancient, transcending cultures. Its reappearance here is loaded with centuries of accumulated meaning. Images like this resonate deeply, stirring something within us—a connection to a shared past, a collective memory of faith, power, and salvation. These symbols have evolved through centuries, adapted and reinterpreted, demonstrating culture's cyclical, non-linear march.