The Seated Virgin 18th-19th century

Curator: This is "The Seated Virgin" by Johann Gotthard Müller. It is currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. I find it quite moving. Editor: It has a serene quality, doesn't it? The way the figures are arranged within the circle creates a sense of intimacy. But it is a circular image and not a square so how does that affect how it is viewed? Curator: Müller was working in a time where prints gained popularity because the church wanted a message of love to be received well by the working class in Germany. Editor: Exactly, we must also consider the role of gender and power here. Mary is seated, elevated by the chair but seems confined by the circle, the child clings to her but appears in charge. Curator: It seems that Müller wanted to give a divine message in a humble way. Editor: True. Reflecting on it now, I am struck by how it reveals the complex layers of religion, politics, and the everyday. Curator: Indeed, a valuable insight into the intersection of art and faith.