Engelen met het lichaam van Christus c. 1592 - 1622

Curator: Let’s take a look at "Angels with the Body of Christ," an engraving made by Vespasiano Strada, likely sometime between 1592 and 1622. Editor: Oh, wow. It's got a sort of melancholic grace. The angels hovering around, it's a really moving scene, despite being, you know, stark. Is it just me, or is there a feeling of tenderness here? Curator: I think you’re onto something important there. The depiction of Christ’s body supported by the angels can be read within a larger narrative of the Council of Trent, when the display of sacred images was promoted to evoke piety and empathy in the viewer. The male gaze, even in this religious context, constructs narratives around idealized bodies, influencing notions of sanctity and suffering. Editor: Right, so it's less about pure religious devotion, and more about showing a very *human* Christ, surrounded by otherworldly grief. I see what you mean. How does that play into Strada's broader work? Was he always tackling these weighty themes? Curator: Strada, deeply embedded in Counter-Reformation ideals, navigated artistic expression with careful political and theological considerations. We can consider, for instance, how this print contrasts with, say, depictions by female artists of the same era, who faced drastically different constraints in representing the divine. This is about control, religious control but artistic control. Editor: Hmmm. Okay, I see your point. And you're right. When you step back and look at the wider context, there's a whole new level of stuff going on that goes beyond simple religious expression. Curator: Exactly! And looking closely at those details—the line work, the poses—helps reveal the complexities that lie beneath the surface. Editor: Absolutely. Well, I'm walking away from this with a whole new set of questions! Curator: Which, of course, is the point! Thanks for joining me in this reflection today.