Zeven engelen met bazuinen before 1646

Editor: Here we have "Seven Angels with Trumpets," a print made before 1646 by Christoffel van Sichem the Younger, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. It’s an engraving, with a surprisingly dense composition, it’s really apocalyptic! What are your thoughts on this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, a piece that truly resonates with a powerful blend of the sacred and the chaotic. To me, this piece is a visual symphony of contrasts. I see it as Sichem grappling with faith in uncertain times. Do you feel the almost desperate hope emanating from it? The detail… almost frantic in places. What sort of feelings do you pick up when observing it? Editor: Definitely a sense of desperation, a real end-of-times vibe. It feels so packed, like there's no breathing room. It’s busy! Curator: Precisely! It is this chaos that perhaps signifies a world grappling with tumultuous changes. The seven angels, each heralding transformation with their trumpets, stand against this backdrop. What do you make of the sun and moon also represented there? What does the scale imply? Editor: Hmmm... the small sun and moon almost feel like they’re being overtaken, made insignificant. Like the natural order is being disrupted. Curator: I would have to agree with your view there. The chaos could imply exactly as you stated - that it may engulf everything within this earthly realm, a divine disruption that is indeed the artist’s way of conveying the shift that he has a direct and personal viewpoint. Does the mark that appears at the bottom left offer any clues in your eyes? Editor: Possibly, the inclusion of the artist mark seems very significant and offers the sense of confirmation. So much to observe from the detail, composition and the artist’s chosen viewpoint, how can you not find this art fascinating?! Curator: Agreed! The composition as a whole takes you through heaven, earth, hell – with this print we embark with the artist through our own self-reflection and acceptance.