Staand engeltje met armen naar rechts 1630 - 1652

Curator: This engraving by Pieter van Avont, titled "Staand engeltje met armen naar rechts," or "Standing angel with arms to the right," dates from the mid-17th century, placing it squarely within the Baroque period. Editor: The cherub strikes me first as quite weighty for a heavenly being. The heavy-set limbs and thoughtful expression suggest something other than ethereal joy. There's a real sense of earthiness here. Curator: Absolutely. While seemingly simple, the image plays into established conventions. Angels in art function as messengers and intermediaries, often depicted during periods of transition or upheaval. The Baroque era itself was such a time, marked by religious conflict and changing social structures. The chubby cherub represents wealth in times of famine, which makes me wonder if that's part of this artwork's appeal and why Avont may have been commissioned for the work. Editor: It’s impossible to unsee the image through a contemporary lens. How does this rather literal depiction of an angel relate to marginalized and minoritized peoples? Historically, certain bodies are often desexualized in European fine art while others are simultaneously exoticized and hypersexualized. Seeing the body as this type of symbol or visual representation gives the idea that he represents something other than pure "innocence". I almost want to ask the angel his perspective. Curator: What you are seeing goes hand in hand with the changing religious narratives within the time. Remember this falls just slightly after the Renaissance, the art during that time glorified humans whereas angel representations during that era often had symbolic significance for different social issues such as access to health care and religious persecution. Van Avont's engraving makes us re-examine those ideas of heaven and the natural state of our beings. It feels familiar, as a continuous message throughout history that has carried on to our society. Editor: You’ve given me more to consider in looking at this deceptively simple engraving. Curator: For me, thinking about how a visual message connects across time makes it timeless.