Guardian angel leading a child through danger, with a snake at lower left and a demon at lower right 1670 - 1731

Domenico Maria Bonavera created this print depicting a guardian angel leading a child through danger. The angel, with its protective wings, stands as a beacon of hope against the looming threats symbolized by the snake and demon in the lower corners. Consider the snake, a motif stretching back to antiquity. In the Garden of Eden, it represents temptation and deception, a symbol of chaos. Yet, the angel’s firm stance echoes the classical images of winged victories, protectors guiding souls. Think of the ancient Greeks, who saw snakes as symbols of healing and rebirth, entwined on the staff of Asclepius. How fascinating that in some contexts it embodies wisdom, and in others, primal fear. This duality, this tension, resonates deep within our collective psyche, a subconscious recognition of the world's inherent dangers and the hope for safe passage. This image engages our deepest fears and hopes, tapping into the primal need for protection. Ultimately, this is an eternal story, an endless cycle of threat and protection, darkness and light.