The Father Sending the Son into the World to Be Made Lower Than the Angels 1491

Editor: So this is “The Father Sending the Son into the World to Be Made Lower Than the Angels” by Michel Wolgemuth. It's undated, but it looks like a woodcut. It’s so intricate. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: Well, look at the composition. The divine realm towers over the earthly city. It makes you consider the power dynamics at play, doesn't it? What does it mean to send one's son into a world framed by such clear social hierarchies? Editor: So it’s a commentary on social inequality? Curator: Perhaps it’s less a commentary, and more a reflection of the inherent inequalities that shaped the religious and social landscape of the time. Consider how earthly rulers used religion to legitimise their power. Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way, so that’s how art reflects and is a product of society. Curator: Exactly. And in doing so, has the potential to subvert it too.