Holy Family with an Angel, after Albertinelli 1900

Curator: Here we have George Hawley Hallowell's "Holy Family with an Angel, after Albertinelli," a circular piece about 19 centimeters in diameter, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels immediately intimate, almost like a religious token worn close to the body. The muted colors add to the solemnity. Curator: Hallowell's engagement with Albertinelli’s original invites us to consider the processes of reproduction and dissemination of religious imagery. How does this smaller scale alter the work’s consumption? Editor: It definitely shifts the power dynamic. By shrinking it, Hallowell democratizes access to a symbol that was once largely controlled by the church and wealthy patrons. Who gets to possess the holy family? Curator: Precisely. This piece also speaks to the Arts and Crafts movement, and its investment in making art more accessible through varied methods. Editor: Ultimately, Hallowell's reinterpretation encourages us to reconsider our relationship with religious iconography and the social structures it upholds. Curator: Indeed. It is intriguing how the change in scale alters our interaction.