Bileam (Balaäm) en de engel 1581 - 1633

This print by Dirck Volckertsz Coornhert visualizes the biblical story of Balaam and the Angel, set amidst classical ruins. The prophet Balaam, staff raised, is about to strike his donkey when an angel sent by God appears, floating in the air. The motif of divine intervention is ancient. Consider the Greek goddess Athena appearing before Achilles, preventing him from killing Agamemnon. The intervention of the divine serves as a potent symbol of moral and spiritual awakening. But here, unlike in classical stories, the divine revelation causes a moment of self-awareness. The angel is God's messenger, a symbol of a higher moral order. The depiction of Balaam about to strike his donkey is a powerful expression of unchecked will. The donkey can be seen as a symbol of innocence. Together they represent inner conflict and moral reckoning. The image resonates because it taps into our collective memory. Throughout time, humankind has used the image to represent our struggle with moral choices and the potential for divine intervention. The psychological tension of imminent violence, poised against the ethereal appearance of the angel, evokes an emotional understanding of fear, recognition, and repentance. These feelings, ever-present in art history, invite us to contemplate the cyclical nature of human failing and divine grace.