Two Angels Holding Banners with the Name Jesus 1518

Editor: This is "Two Angels Holding Banners with the Name Jesus" by Hans Holbein the Younger. The print is quite small, about 11 x 10 cm, and the details are amazing. I find the cherubic angels somewhat unsettling. What do you make of this work? Curator: Well, aren't they a handful? Holbein's genius lies in rendering the divine in such a tangible, slightly mischievous way. Notice how the banners, proclaiming 'Jesus' in Greek and Hebrew, seem almost too heavy for them. The image captures the weight and the joy of faith, don't you think? A heavy mantle indeed, and they are bearing it without complaint, in fact, they seem to be enjoying the task. Editor: That's a different way of seeing it. Thanks! Curator: It's all about perspective. What did you take away? Editor: I'll remember to look for both the weight and the joy in art.