Maria in de wolken, omgeven door engelen 1651 - 1652

This engraving, “Maria in de wolken, omgeven door engelen”, was made by Lucas Vorsterman the Younger, sometime between 1624 and 1667. The print uses line work to create an ethereal scene with Mary at the center, surrounded by angels. The composition is structured around a central vertical axis, with Mary's figure serving as the anchor. The circular arrangement of angels around her introduces dynamism. This recalls the Renaissance motif of heavenly figures arranged in perfect harmony. However, Vorsterman disrupts this harmony through the asymmetry and the individualised poses of the angels, challenging the idealised order of the Renaissance. The varying densities of lines create subtle tonal shifts that guide the viewer's eye, from the lightness of the heavens to the more densely rendered earth below. This use of light and shadow is not merely decorative; it constructs a hierarchy that places Mary as a bridge between the divine and the earthly. Vorsterman invites us to consider the complex interplay between form and content, where the destabilization of established visual codes opens up new interpretive possibilities.