Resurrection
Original title: Resurrection
kurzbeschreibung
Wenceslaus Hollar's etching Resurrection (1644–52) sets Christ's rising above a table of soldiers gathered below. The sheet measures 8.8 × 6 cm and survives in the only known state of the print.
Description
At the top Christ appears on a cloud, clothed and holding a staff, his right hand raised in blessing. Beneath him several soldiers have crowded around a table set with fish and a dish of pork; some are eating while others move about with spears and shields. The layout is lopsided, pulling Christ toward the centre while the soldiers remain caught up in an earthly meal. An English text below the image comments on what takes place. Fine lines and shading give the monochrome print an almost theatrical mood.
Context
The etcher Wenceslaus Hollar (1607–1677), a native of Bohemia, worked mainly in England. This sheet belongs to a period shaped by political and religious conflict, including the English Civil War (1642–1651). Hollar produced a great many prints, often after his own designs or those of other artists. The soldiers in monks' habits and the satirical text may carry a contemporary allusion to religious or political affairs, which is unusual in his work.
Impact
Sharp contrasts of light and dark and expressive linework give the sheet a dramatic mood that separates Christ's supernatural appearance from the profane soldiers' scene. The detailed execution invites close looking and strengthens the narrative pull.
Technique
Hollar used etching, an intaglio process in which the drawing is scratched into an acid-resistant ground on a copper plate and then bitten by acid. For shadows and textures he relied on fine, precise lines and cross-hatching. That only one state of the sheet is known suggests a small edition.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)