Gezicht op de Sint-Pieter en Paulusabdij van Affligem 1726 - 1734

Jacobus Harrewijn rendered this view of the Abbey of Affligem, likely in the late 17th or early 18th century, with the precision afforded by engraving. The eye is immediately drawn to the Virgin and Child, floating amidst cherubic figures in the upper-left corner, a beacon of divine favor for the abbey below. This motif of a floating Virgin has roots stretching back to antiquity, echoing the airborne deities of classical myth, and reappears in countless Christian artworks. Yet, here, it isn't merely a replication. The Virgin's gesture, bestowing blessings upon the abbey, suggests a protective embrace. Think of how this image, like a persistent dream, echoes through time. Consider the Winged Victory of Samothrace, a statue from ancient Greece. Though separated by millennia and faith, both figures occupy a liminal space between heaven and earth, embodying a yearning for divine intervention. They remind us that even as symbols evolve, the primal emotions they evoke remain potent, engaging us in a timeless dialogue.