Besnijdenis van Christus

The scene is set in a cavernous church modeled after the Sint-Bavokerk in Haarlem, where two large candles provide a dramatic light source that illuminates the central figures. In the foreground, a figure with his back to the viewer anchors the composition, leading the eye toward the delicate ritual taking place on a central dais. The engraving displays a wide variety of textures and atmospheric effects, from the heavy folds of the robes to the hazy, smoke-filled perspective of the background arches.

This work is part of Goltzius’s 'Life of the Virgin' series, where he demonstrated his 'protean' ability to masterfully imitate the styles of other great artists—in this case, Federico Barocci. In the intellectual context of the Haarlem Mannerists, such technical virtuosity was viewed as a reflection of the artist's divine creative spark, a concept central to Renaissance Neoplatonism.