Illustration til "The Lord's Prayer" 1863

Editor: Here we have Lorenz Frølich’s 1863 engraving, “Illustration til ‘The Lord’s Prayer.’” There's a real sense of reverence evoked through the line work. It’s incredibly detailed; almost dreamlike. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: Reverence, indeed! But I also sense a delicious tension. Frølich, in his Northern Renaissance style, captures a very human, earthy scene beneath a divine radiance. Look at the figures: they're caught in a moment of supplication, a bridge between the mundane and the ethereal. Notice the detail in the robes compared to the barely-there quality of the angels. Editor: It’s as if the earthly realm is so grounded and textured, and the heavens…lighter than air. Is there some symbolism behind having the angels so lightly sketched? Curator: I think it underscores the aspirational quality of faith. The earthly is tangible, known. The divine, whispered. Consider also the inscription, “Hallowed be thy name,” emanating light itself. It is as though Frølich captured prayer visually: a collective desire forming into something visible and transformative. Doesn't it make you wonder about the prayers taking shape around us at all times? Editor: Definitely! Seeing it like that, it gives new meaning to the idea of visualising intentions, doesn’t it? Curator: It does. And maybe encourages us to bring the same dedication and beauty to our own. Frølich gifts us with a vision that feels both historic and utterly, beautifully present. Editor: This has definitely shifted my view of it. Thanks for such an interesting perspective!