Jesu Candor Lucis Aeternae, Causa Nostrae Laetitiae 1894

Editor: This is Charles-Marie Dulac’s "Jesu Candor Lucis Aeternae, Causa Nostrae Laetitiae," a monochromatic print that gives off a serene, almost ethereal quality. What can you tell me about it? Curator: The title itself points to a specific cultural context: religious devotion. Dulac, working in the late 19th century, likely engaged with Symbolist aesthetics. How might the depiction of light challenge or reinforce existing power structures within religious institutions? Editor: That’s a great point. I hadn’t considered the role of institutions. Curator: Consider also the social role of art during a time when traditional religious beliefs were being questioned. This print could be a way of reaffirming faith. What do you think? Editor: I see what you mean; it’s a way of grounding the spiritual in a rapidly changing world. Thanks! Curator: Absolutely! Art always exists in dialogue with its time.