Wijsheid 1811 - 1867

Alphonse Boilly created this artwork titled "Wisdom" in France, though its exact date is unknown. The image presents us with a winged cherub, a symbol of innocence, alongside a statue of a crowned figure. The title "La Sagesse," meaning "Wisdom" in French, invites us to consider what Boilly is saying about the nature of knowledge. The statue is a key to understanding this. It seems to represent a classical or perhaps even ancient deity, rigid and formal. Beside it, the cherub is far more lifelike, its flesh soft and rounded. Is Boilly suggesting that true wisdom lies not in the formal traditions of the past, but in something more natural and intuitive? To better understand this, we might research the symbolism of cherubs in French art of this period, looking at other works by Boilly and his contemporaries. We could ask: How did the institutions of art in France at this time shape the understanding and representation of wisdom? Only through this kind of research can we begin to fully unpack the social meanings embedded in this image.