Profeet met drie engelen 1591 - 1647

Sisto Badalocchio etched this image of a Prophet with three angels sometime between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its core, the image deals with revelation, signaled through the angels, winged figures often depicted as divine messengers, and the prophet, typically an intermediary between humanity and the divine. Note the cloth the angels hold above the prophet. This motif appears across centuries, echoing in classical depictions of emperors receiving laurel wreaths, symbolizing triumph and divine favor. In Christian art, this motif is often seen in images of the Virgin Mary being crowned Queen of Heaven, itself a continuation of earlier pagan rituals of bestowing honors upon deities. The gesture of crowning, or covering with cloth, carries an emotional weight of reverence and authority, engaging our subconscious understanding of power dynamics. This visual language taps into a deep-seated, shared cultural memory of honoring those deemed sacred or powerful. As the cloth unfurls, it reveals the cyclical progression of symbols, resurfacing and evolving across time, each iteration layered with new meanings.