Leger van Sanherib, koning van Assyrië, wordt door een engel verdreven 1552

This is an anonymous print depicting the army of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, being driven away by an angel. The angel, a dominant figure, brandishes a sword, a symbol of divine justice and power. Across cultures, angelic figures, winged and ethereal, bridge the divine and mortal realms. The sword motif appears throughout history, from ancient Mesopotamian reliefs to Renaissance paintings, representing authority and righteousness. Here, the angel’s sword is not merely a weapon but a tool of divine intervention, halting the Assyrian army’s advance on Jerusalem. The fear and awe inspired by such interventions tap into a primal human consciousness, reflecting a collective memory of vulnerability before powerful, unseen forces. The emotional resonance of the image lies in the viewer’s subconscious understanding of divine protection against overwhelming odds. This is a testament to the cyclical nature of symbols, resurfacing in various forms throughout history and imbuing the artwork with layers of meaning that resonate on a deep, psychological level.