Engel beschermt kind tegen ijdele vrouw 1590 - 1624

Boëtius Adamsz. Bolswert created this artwork called "Engel beschermt kind tegen ijdele vrouw" using engraving techniques. Notice how Bolswert uses detailed line work to create a composition dominated by light and shadow. This contrast immediately draws our eyes to the figures: an angel shielding a child from a richly adorned woman. The angel's protective gesture and radiant halo set against the darkness of the tree create a sense of divine intervention. Here, Bolswert masterfully employs semiotic codes of his time. The richly dressed woman embodies vanity, her elaborate attire and haughty posture signaling worldly excess. In contrast, the angel and child represent innocence and spiritual purity, shielded from the temptations of earthly vanity. The formal arrangement suggests a moral lesson, reflecting the period's concern with piety. Bolswert invites us to reflect on the transient nature of earthly pleasures and the enduring power of spiritual values. This artwork serves not only as a visual narrative but as a meditation on morality, using its formal structure to communicate complex theological concepts.