Virgin of the Immaculate Conception c. 17th century

Editor: Here we have Jacques Callot's "Virgin of the Immaculate Conception," housed right here at Harvard Art Museums. All those little cherubic faces, some are just heads with wings! It feels, I don't know, a little unsettling. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, isn't it a curious dance between reverence and, as you say, a touch of the unsettling? Callot, ever the master of detail, crams so much symbolism into this small space. The Virgin stands on a crescent moon, a classic symbol of purity, surrounded by cherubs that, yes, are a tad peculiar with their intense gazes. Editor: Peculiar is one word for it! The Immaculate Conception, so no original sin, right? But those intense little faces... Curator: Precisely! Callot’s Immaculate Conception isn't saccharine; it's a powerful statement. It’s a bit like finding beauty in the unexpected, isn't it? Editor: I guess so. I'll never look at a cherub the same way again. Curator: And that's the magic of art, isn't it? Shifting perspectives, one etching at a time.