Jakob worstelt met de engel 1645 - 1665

Curator: Here we have a rather striking engraving titled "Jakob worstelt met de engel," or "Jacob Wrestling with the Angel," created sometime between 1645 and 1665 by the artist known only as Monogrammist IVS. Editor: It certainly catches the eye. The composition is intense. Two figures locked in what seems like a desperate embrace, or perhaps a struggle. It evokes a sense of inner turmoil, doesn't it? Curator: It's fascinating how the unknown engraver utilizes the etching technique, probably combining it with engraving, to capture such dramatic tension with such delicate lines. Consider the material reality: the copper plate, the acid bath, the tools wielded to create the image. Editor: Indeed, but also, observe how the image draws on centuries of iconographic tradition. We see Jacob, of course, grappling with the angel, but above them, a deity and putti display a sign. "PVGNA SPIRITVALIS"-- "Spiritual Combat". It resonates with themes of struggle, faith, and divine testing. Curator: The use of line, however, goes beyond mere illustration. Note the varying densities and textures achieved through the cross-hatching. It’s not just depicting the scene; it’s constructing it from layers of labor and material. Editor: True, but consider the symbolic language. The angel itself, a winged messenger, represents divine intervention, the power of God made manifest, wrestling means challenge, but also opportunity. Perhaps Monogrammist IVS meant the piece to underscore inner struggle as well as spiritual discipline? Curator: And what of the audience that may have viewed it? Who bought this print, what space did it occupy? The printing trade itself played a central role in circulating ideas and beliefs, reaching varied social groups. It becomes clear as part of a wide context of image-making that was consumed by society. Editor: Absolutely! The engraving presents not just a literal depiction of a biblical narrative, but it uses symbolic imagery that spoke volumes to a specific cultural and religious context of 17th-century spiritual belief, I believe. Curator: Examining the means of production and distribution gives a real grounding to these lofty iconographic concerns. Editor: A spiritual dance between the worldly and unworldly, I suppose, both material and iconographic at once.