Engel houdt doek vast waarop titel Ad sacrum speculum 1590 - 1612

This engraving, titled ‘Engel houdt doek vast waarop titel Ad sacrum speculum’ was created by Boëtius Adamsz. Bolswert in 1612. Notice the ethereal quality achieved through the stark contrast between light and shadow, a defining feature of engravings. This dramatic chiaroscuro is carefully structured. Lines create depth, texture, and form, guiding our eyes from the radiant angel at the top to the detailed objects and text on the cloth below. The angel, bathed in light, holds a cloth displaying symbolic objects such as a lamp, book, and rosary. These are meticulously arranged, each with its distinct texture rendered through fine lines. The composition is carefully balanced, yet the asymmetry introduces tension, destabilizing any sense of static harmony. This engraving is not just an aesthetic object, it encourages one to question the relationships between the celestial and the earthly, the sacred and the textual.