Maria met Kind staande op een globe 1586 - 1650

Curator: Here at the Rijksmuseum, we're looking at "Maria met Kind staande op een globe," an engraving by Cornelis Galle I, created sometime between 1586 and 1650. Editor: My goodness, what a swirl of activity! The composition just bursts with cherubs, clouds, and a very imposing Madonna. All in stark monochrome. It’s both divine and incredibly busy. Curator: The medium, engraving, is key here. It allowed for relatively mass production and distribution of this imagery. Galle's skill highlights how printmaking was essential in disseminating religious and political ideals during the Counter-Reformation. Editor: It certainly does feel like propaganda, albeit heavenly propaganda. I keep coming back to the detail. Look at the texture achieved just through lines! It's almost overwhelming; the tiny cherubic faces seem to be competing for attention. Curator: The "globe" itself warrants consideration. Mary and Child standing upon it—and crushing the serpent, of course—symbolize the triumph of Catholicism globally. The production of the print itself becomes a statement of that triumph. Editor: Triumph, yes, but also confinement. There’s something unsettling about placing divinity atop the world in this way. I mean, talk about pressure! Though visually impressive, it raises questions about the earthly burdens associated with such ideals. Does absolute power corrupt even divine intentions? Curator: Your point about the burdens is fascinating. It redirects us from a purely celebratory reading to one contemplating the earthly implications and the role of production, how prints like these influenced not only religious belief but also societal power structures. Editor: Absolutely. Art always acts within its historical setting. Galle’s work has prompted me to think about art’s influence on ideologies, even though its impact, at first, may have simply looked "heavenly". It can become so much more when viewed through the lens of power, and materials. Curator: Agreed. It's those intricate, tangible connections, the layers within even seemingly straightforward imagery that makes the era and these works so perpetually compelling.