Plakette, jongeling met engelbewaarder before 1661

Editor: Here we have "Plaquette, jongeling met engelbewaarder," made before 1661 by Adam Lenckhardt, a baroque ivory carving in relief. It feels simultaneously precious and a little unsettling. The figures are so close, and the ivory has a somewhat ghostly pallor. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: I'm struck by the symbolism inherent in the guardian angel motif. It speaks to a deep-seated human need for protection, especially during vulnerable periods like youth. Do you see how the angel's wing almost completely envelops the child? That gesture carries an enormous emotional weight, doesn’t it? Editor: It really does. Almost…suffocatingly so? Like the child can't quite break free. Curator: Precisely! And the material itself—ivory—further enriches the meaning. Historically, it was a luxury material, associated with purity and virtue. Consider, then, the cultural message being conveyed: the preciousness of innocence and the divine protection offered to it. Doesn’t that bear a complex weight given how often that innocence is, historically, challenged or lost? What is the upraised hand telling us, do you think? Editor: It's a little ambiguous, but with the angel's gaze focused on the child, maybe it symbolizes divine intervention. A warning, perhaps? Curator: Perhaps a gesture indicating the source of all blessings. In many traditions, the upraised hand signals not just protection but also the conduit through which grace flows. Consider also the subtle modeling of their features, almost idealized. This is not just about one child; it's about childhood itself, and what we project onto that concept. Editor: That makes a lot of sense. I came in seeing it as unsettling, but I’m leaving with a sense of hope, too. Curator: Yes, the artist uses inherited symbols, transforming our vision through layers of belief. It’s in these inherited symbols that our continuous, collective human experiences reside.