Christus aan het kruis en de Dood 1629

Editor: We're looking at "Christus aan het kruis en de Dood," or "Christ on the Cross and Death," an engraving by Christoffel van Sichem II, dating to 1629. It's stark, high-contrast, and unsettling with a very prominent skeleton holding a sword at the bottom right. What do you see when you look at this print? Curator: It's impossible to ignore the material reality embedded within this devotional image. We must acknowledge the economic engine driving its production. How many of these prints were made? Who bought them, and for what price? The labor of Sichem himself – a skilled artisan navigating the burgeoning print market. Editor: So you're less interested in the religious meaning and more in the production itself? Curator: Not exclusively, but to divorce it is to misunderstand its place within society. The type of ink used, the quality of paper...these things dictated its affordability and reach. Look at the detail - achievable because it's a *print.* The lines defining Christ’s body, the expressions of the figures... This speaks to skill but also a commercial demand for emotionally evocative religious imagery. What type of market made it profitable to create imagery such as this? Editor: I guess I never thought of a crucifixion scene as driven by profit, but it makes sense when you break it down to the materials and labor. Curator: Exactly. And that commercial element doesn't invalidate the potential religious impact; it informs it. Consumption and faith intertwine in the tangible object. By engaging with the materials and processes, we uncover deeper understandings of not just the art, but also its intended audience. Editor: I think that completely changes how I'll look at prints moving forward! Focusing on the means of production is just as important as subject. Curator: Precisely.