Assisted by Wisdom, one takes refuge from Love in the arms of Reason c. 18th century

Curator: Jean Nicolas Adam created this small engraving, titled "Assisted by Wisdom, one takes refuge from Love in the arms of Reason," sometime between his birth in 1786 and death in 1840. Editor: The first thing I notice is the clear divide between light and dark – a struggle rendered in etched lines. Curator: Absolutely. Note how the allegorical figures—Wisdom, Reason, and fleeing from them, Love—are rendered through classical imagery. There's a whole tradition of moral allegory at play here. Editor: And the linear quality of the printmaking reinforces that clarity. The precise control over the etching suggests a deliberate attempt to create order, mirroring the theme of Reason overcoming Love. Curator: Yes, the pursuit of reason, the avoidance of love's chaos - these themes resonate through time, don't they? The symbols evoke a very human struggle. Editor: It makes me think about the engraver’s labor. Every line is a choice, a conscious effort towards a specific end. Curator: Quite a thoughtful meditation on the human condition, wouldn't you say? Editor: Indeed. It's fascinating to consider how the material process shaped such an abstract concept.