Peri at the Gates of Paradise c. 1854 - 1859

Thomas Crawford carved this marble sculpture of a Peri, a fallen angel from Persian mythology, sometime in the mid-19th century. The Peri, adorned with a floral crown, stands at the threshold of paradise, a symbol laden with longing and exclusion. The figure's clasped hands and downcast gaze evoke a sense of yearning and repentance, reflecting the complex emotional landscape of spiritual exile. This gesture echoes across centuries, reminiscent of supplicants in Renaissance paintings, their hands similarly clasped in prayer or mourning. Observe how the motif of the angel, once a symbol of divine grace, is here transformed into a figure of profound human emotion—a testament to the evolving narrative of redemption and the psychological weight of longing that persists in the collective psyche. The cyclical progression of symbols, like the angel, never ceases to resurface, adapt, and accumulate new layers of meaning throughout the course of history.