Vermoedelijk titelpagina voor: Novum Jesu Christi Testamentum, 1639-1643 1639 - 1643

Editor: Okay, next up, we have what's believed to be a title page for 'Novum Jesu Christi Testamentum', created between 1639 and 1643 by Claude Mellan. It's an engraving, so the lines are incredibly precise. What strikes me is how seriously Baroque this feels! There are winged angels bearing a weighty tablet... what else do you see here? Curator: Well, the weight is both literal and figurative, isn't it? I sense Mellan is acutely aware that these are, after all, *just* angels carrying an inscribed tablet. Think of those heroic Baroque poses, slightly strained. Those bulging angel biceps straining under the theological weight they carry are pretty comical! Editor: I hadn't thought of that...a theological weight... What about the architecture in the background? It seems so stark against the softness of the figures. Curator: Ah, yes, Mellan's playing with contrasts. See how the rigid, classical architecture acts as a backdrop, emphasizing the dynamism of the angels? It's a dance between the earthly and the divine, wouldn’t you say? A celestial UPS delivery service struggling with a rather hefty package. Editor: So, it's not just a straightforward religious image, there's an element of playfulness there, even humor? Curator: Absolutely! I feel the slight subversion invites you to consider not just the message on the tablet, but the entire act of faith, with all its human frailty. Plus, those lines! It feels like he has etched eternity onto the paper. The sheer commitment to line-making is kind of its own statement. What did you think of the Baroque style now that you’ve reflected? Editor: I guess I always took Baroque so seriously! Thinking about this interplay between humor and faith definitely adds a new layer for me. Thanks! Curator: Indeed! Considering those details changes everything. This reminds us not to take those classical painters too seriously and see their underlying humanistic approach!