Mater Dolorosa with a Dagger in her Bosom c. 17th century

Editor: So, this is Mater Dolorosa with a Dagger in her Bosom by Willem Pietersz. de Leeuw, over at Harvard. It's... intense, right? The raw emotion just leaps out. What strikes you most about this image? Curator: That dagger, piercing her heart... it's not just a physical wound, is it? More like a visual metaphor for the unbearable grief of a mother losing her child. It’s a deeply personal reflection on suffering. The angels almost feel intrusive, don't they? Like sorrow is a private affair, witnessed, but never truly shared. What do you feel about that? Editor: Absolutely. I almost feel like I'm intruding by looking at it. Thanks for that perspective! Curator: My pleasure. Sometimes, the most powerful art is that which makes us feel something deeply uncomfortable.