Engelen reiken omhoog naar de hemel 1893

Henri Fantin-Latour created this print, 'Engelen reiken omhoog naar de hemel', using etching techniques. He was an artist working in the late 19th century, a time of rapid social change and artistic experimentation. Fantin-Latour was known for his symbolist and often dreamlike imagery, turning to themes of music and mythology. The subject and imagery of reaching angels, common in religious art, are here presented through the modern medium of etching. The ethereal treatment of the figures, almost dissolving into the light, moves away from traditional representations and into the realm of personal experience and emotional resonance. This angelscape might be understood as a response to a desire for spiritual meaning in an increasingly secular world. It invites each of us to consider the ways we seek solace or transcendence in our own lives.