Doctors of the Church 18th-19th century

Editor: This print, "Doctors of the Church" by William Sharp, features a group of very serious looking men. I'm immediately struck by the contrast between the ethereal figures above and the weighty scholars below. What do you make of this composition? Curator: Ah, yes! It's as if Sharp's caught them mid-epiphany, or perhaps mid-argument! Notice how the Virgin Mary and the angel float ethereally, a visual representation of divine inspiration. The earthbound doctors, with their furrowed brows and weighty tomes, represent the intellectual labor needed to interpret such visions. Are they inspired or stumped, do you think? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way! It's a neat juxtaposition of faith and reason. Thanks for pointing that out. Curator: My pleasure. It's always a dance between what we see and what we believe, isn’t it?