The Resurrection, from The Passion of Christ

Christ rises into the heavens holding a victory banner, framed by a radiant burst of light and swirling clouds. A winged angel sits prominently on the tomb's entrance, gesturing toward the miracle, while soldiers in contemporary 16th-century armor recoil in terror or remain in a deep sleep. In the distant background, the Three Marys are seen approaching the tomb with jars of ointment.

In the late 16th century, the Resurrection was often interpreted by Christian Kabbalists and Hermeticists as the ultimate symbol of the 'Body of Light' and the spiritualization of matter. As a leader of the Haarlem Mannerists, Goltzius's technical precision served to bridge the gap between religious devotion and the intellectual pursuit of understanding the divine through art.