Kneeling Angel 1672

Editor: This is Bernini's "Kneeling Angel," a terracotta sculpture currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It's so tactile, almost begging to be touched. What can you tell me about its role? Curator: Well, considering Bernini’s time, it’s impossible to separate the work from the Counter-Reformation. Sculptures like this weren't just art; they were tools of religious persuasion, meant to inspire piety and awe. Notice the angel's humble posture, the dynamic drapery, the engaging expression... what does that communicate? Editor: A sense of devotion, definitely. Almost like a personal connection to the divine. Curator: Exactly! It collapses the distance between the heavenly and the human, engaging the viewer in the drama of faith. It makes you wonder about the place of religious art in society then, and now. Editor: I see. It's not just a beautiful object, but a powerful instrument within a larger cultural narrative. Curator: Precisely.