Hendrick Goltzius: The resurrection of Christ (1596)

(Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA)

An engraving by the Dutch artist Hendrick Goltzius (1558-1617). Today is Easter, or 'Resurrection Sunday', which celebrates the resurrection of Christ on the third day of his burial after his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary. This popular print by Goltzius comes from a set of 12 dedicated to the passion of Christ and shows Matthew 28. Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" (the gospel of Mark states that there were 3 women: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome) are walking towards the tomb while sitting above the tomb is the angel which had come down from Heaven. The angel had rolled the rock aside from the tomb and tells the three ladies not to be afraid, but to tell the disciples that Jesus had risen and will meet them in Galilee. The soldiers at the front are the soldiers guarding the tomb and are terrified by the angel, with one of them sleeping. Engraving from 1596.