Petrus door een engel uit de gevangenis bevrijd 1661 - 1662

Moses ter Borch created this drawing, *Petrus door een engel uit de gevangenis bevrijd*, using pen and brush in grey ink. The composition divides the pictorial space between the figures of Peter and the angel, set against a stark, undefined background. Note how the lack of detail in the setting focuses our attention on the figures and their interaction. Ter Borch’s use of chiaroscuro—the contrast between light and dark—sculpts the forms, adding drama. The angel's touch is not just a physical act but also a powerful symbol. Consider the wings, rendered with gestural strokes, evoking a sense of divine energy. The artist uses a semiotic system of signs where the angel represents divine intervention, challenging the earthly bounds of imprisonment. The drawing challenges fixed meanings, suggesting that faith and divine power can disrupt established orders. Ultimately, it invites us to consider the role of art itself as a medium, capable of expressing complex ideas through simple, yet evocative, visual language.