An allegory of Peace; Peace personified as a woman standing in a landscape holding the left hand of a winged genius 1515 - 1525

Editor: Here we have an engraving, “An Allegory of Peace; Peace personified as a woman standing in a landscape holding the left hand of a winged genius,” dating back to the Italian Renaissance, around 1515-1525. It's attributed to an anonymous artist. I’m struck by the stark contrast, the sharp lines against the relatively blank background. It gives the piece a somber feel. What are your initial thoughts, coming to this with your curatorial eye? Curator: Somber is a great word for it! And it almost vibrates, doesn't it? Like the very idea of 'peace' is precariously balanced. To me, it feels like the artist is using that delicate balance – the almost severe simplicity of the lines and figures – to really emphasize the *effort* it takes to maintain peace. Note the small figure reaching for her hand; he must *reach* for it! This wasn’t just floating in on a breeze. Now, I wonder, what does "peace" *look* like to you? If you could redraw it with the music of *your* life playing, what colors would you choose? Editor: I suppose I see peace as something a bit more vibrant, maybe with softer lines and a wider landscape... less reliant on individual effort, more a state of being. Curator: But is that *real*, though? Or just aspirational? I sometimes think these older allegories strike that harder note: a bit of warning nestled in the ideal. Perhaps they are teaching aids – "this is the challenge" – more than soothing pastoral scenes. What do you think the choice of engraving, the medium itself, says about this message? Editor: That's an interesting point. The precision of the engraving perhaps adds to that sense of... deliberate control needing to be enacted to maintain this peace. It makes me appreciate the piece more now, realizing how purposeful all the elements seem to be in conveying a certain urgency. Curator: Exactly! And now *you’re* reaching, hand outstretched. Art historians and students: always chasing peace in some small way, aren't we?