Detail from The Concert of Angels 1515

Editor: This is a detail from Matthias Grünewald’s “The Concert of Angels,” painted around 1515, using oil paint. I’m really struck by the sense of quiet and anticipation here. It’s so still and… domestic, somehow. What draws your eye when you look at it? Curator: It's the very stillness you mention, juxtaposed with a profound sense of mystery, isn't it? These ordinary objects – the washing basin, the pitcher – become charged with significance when considered alongside the celestial. Grünewald was a master of imbuing everyday life with the spiritual. Have you ever considered how textures seem to take on lives of their own? Editor: I think I see what you mean! It’s almost hyper-real, the way the light catches on the wood. The folds of the cloth feel so tangible. Curator: Precisely! The artist isn't simply depicting a scene but inviting us into an emotional landscape. What do you feel when looking at those very detailed humble objects that are next to appear to be regal objects? Does it create a certain friction, perhaps even a kind of sacred tension? Editor: Definitely, it’s this clash between the mundane and, well, whatever grand scene this is taken from – the name "Concert of Angels" gives a hint of that. I hadn’t considered that it could be on purpose to evoke something more! It really feels like a backstage moment, preparations being made for something immense. Curator: Precisely, or maybe more personally – an invitation into intimate space. Grünewald asks us to consider holiness residing in the most unassuming moments. A rather rebellious sentiment to hold at the time, don’t you think? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it like that! That tension gives the painting an unexpected… edginess, even now. Curator: Indeed. Art of the past continuously manages to be relevant in the future, does it not? Editor: It definitely gives me a lot to think about – everyday moments as potentially profound. It makes you wonder what we overlook.