Aanbidding der koningen 1743

Curator: This etching, titled "Aanbidding der Koningen" or "Adoration of the Magi," was completed in 1743 by Jean Michel Liotard. Editor: What strikes me immediately is the rather theatrical lighting. It’s stark, dramatic, and guides the eye precisely where the artist intends, bathing the newborn and the Virgin Mary in radiant light, quite literally elevating them above the earthly realm. Curator: Precisely. Liotard orchestrates a structured hierarchy through this interplay of light and shadow. The strong verticals of the architecture in the background counterbalance the diagonal thrust of the light beams, lending stability to the otherwise ethereal scene. The composition itself draws upon baroque strategies. Editor: And then there are the figures, each carefully rendered with individual characteristics, reflecting the psychological weight of witnessing a divine event. The kings, diverse in age and origin, symbolize the universality of Christ's message, a gathering of cultural emblems united by their faith. I keep coming back to the hat fallen on the floor though... such a common image in the renaissance for this scene, but the sheer contrast to the royal attires of the rest lends some form of weight to a 'common' event with significant weight. Curator: The hat functions almost as a visual full stop, grounding the ethereal elements in stark, immediate terms. This tension is sustained even by a semiotic reading of the beams of light, seemingly man-made at the top, only becoming organic in nature. Liotard clearly wants to stress this idea that the light and enlightenment come not from the Heavens, but through it. Editor: Absolutely, Liotard blends both heavenly promise and the earthly acceptance. A dance of symbols culminating in a quietly powerful message of faith, accessible to all strata of society, and times. Curator: A remarkable example of eighteenth-century printmaking indeed. It merges symbolism and technique. Editor: A layered engraving. I can carry those lessons into how I experience life every day.