Virgin adoring the Christ Child 17th century

Curator: My goodness, it’s ethereal. Like a captured prayer in solid form. Editor: That’s quite beautiful. We are looking at an ivory carving from the 17th century, attributed to Lelio Orsi, called Lelio da Novellara. It's called "Virgin adoring the Christ Child," currently held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Curator: The choice of ivory is brilliant, lending that otherworldly quality to the piece. It also emphasizes their purity, or perhaps the aspirational nature of human desire for spiritual purity. See how the forms gently swirl and rise? Editor: Absolutely. Baroque loved this kind of upward movement; its figures appear to float despite being quite physically present. Look at that baby, who sits atop this puffy cloud-like structure with such relaxed, self-assured posture as the Virgin looks at him in deep adoration. It's a compelling study in power dynamics using religious iconography. Curator: Iconography always plays with power. This gesture of adoration-- Virgin's hands are raised as she almost pleads, but there is also so much tenderness. Do you sense a little melancholy, as well? She knows, somehow. Editor: That bittersweet knowledge gives her adoration a universal human edge, definitely. The heart of Baroque—a drama played on very complex emotional keys! And look at the little cherub face at the bottom, carrying the entire scene up to heaven—like a little fluffy vehicle of hope. Curator: Hope resting on resignation, all packed in smooth ivory. These old works seem eternally relevant in their demonstration of life's eternal tug-of-war. Editor: Right, as they reveal those human threads within even the most divine portrayals, this one remains quietly powerful across the centuries.