Resurrection of Christ

Christ stands at the edge of the open stone tomb, holding a banner of victory and surrounded by a radiant circle of light. In the foreground, several soldiers in sixteenth-century armor are shown in states of alarm or deep sleep, while the Three Marys approach through a rocky archway in the background. The engraving uses intricate patterns of fine lines to define the dark interior of the cave and the brilliant glow emanating from the central figure.

This series was created by Goltzius to demonstrate his ability to master the styles of earlier northern artists, reflecting a Neoplatonic ideal of artistic perfection through emulation. In the Western esoteric tradition, the Resurrection is frequently used as a metaphor for the final stage of the Great Work, representing the soul’s liberation from the 'sepulcher' of the material world.