Artwork
The Resurrection
The Resurrection is a print by Schelte Bolswert. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This monochrome print portrays the biblical moment of Christ’s emergence from the tomb.
About this work
Overview
This monochrome print portrays the biblical moment of Christ’s emergence from the tomb. The central figure, a robust, bearded man, ascends while clutching a tall staff, surrounded by a crowd whose reactions range from awe to distress. Light emanates from the risen figure, creating stark contrasts that heighten the drama of the scene.
Subject & Meaning
The composition illustrates the Resurrection, emphasizing Christ’s triumph over death. The Latin inscription at the bottom, “Christus Resurgens Ex Mortuis Iam Non Moritur,” reinforces the theological claim that the risen Christ is no longer subject to mortality, while the varied gestures of the surrounding figures convey human astonishment and reverence.
Technique & Style
Executed in black-and-white, the print employs chiaroscuro, using deep shadows and bright highlights to model form and suggest radiant light. The sharp tonal contrasts delineate muscular anatomy and drapery, while the radiating light around the central figure creates a visual focal point that guides the viewer’s eye.
History & Provenance
The image is derived from a composition originally painted by Peter Paul Rubens for Antwerp Cathedral. The print reproduces Rubens’s design, translating his baroque dynamism into a graphic medium, though specific details about its date of creation or ownership remain undocumented.
Context
Rubens’s original work celebrated the Counter‑Reformation emphasis on vivid, emotionally charged religious imagery. By adapting this composition into a print, the scene could reach a broader audience, aligning with the period’s practice of disseminating devotional images through reproducible formats.
Artist & collection
Artist
Schelte a Bolswert or Schelte Adamsz. Bolswert was a Frisian engraver who worked most of his career in Antwerp where he was one of the lead engravers in Rubens' workshop. He is known for his reproductive works after…
