Geloof, Hoop en Liefde rond een altaar 1741

Jan Caspar Philips created this monochrome engraving, "Faith, Hope and Love around an Altar," now at the Rijksmuseum, to measure 141 by 87 millimeters. The formal arrangement guides our eyes upwards from the weighty altar block to the ethereal light breaking through the clouds. Philips employs a classical architectural backdrop to frame the composition, with figures arranged in a semi-circle around the altar. This symmetry is disrupted by the dynamic rays of light, creating a visual tension between the earthly and the divine. The strong vertical lines and chiaroscuro give the figures volume. This image creates a complex interplay between reason and revelation. The altar and book symbolize established doctrine, while the hopeful upward gaze defies the fixed knowledge. This visual dialogue prompts us to reconsider the relationship between belief systems and individual interpretation. The work challenges the viewer to destabilize fixed meanings in favour of transcendent understanding.