Bewening c. 1632 - 1680

Curator: This engraving, called "Bewening," dates from sometime between 1632 and 1680 and is attributed to Jean Boulanger. Look closely at the texture achieved through engraving— it's quite remarkable. Editor: Right, there's this starkness—a rawness in the details, almost uncomfortable. You instantly know it's about grief. Curator: Absolutely. Consider how the figures are positioned around Christ's body: Mary Magdalene, inconsolable, her face turned to the sky, juxtaposed with the other figures in quiet lamentation. Boulanger emphasizes established conventions for mourning, and it roots the figures in cultural memory. Editor: I see that, how these archetypes amplify the human story of loss— but even if you didn't know the biblical context, you feel the universal pain, that quiet desolation. I also love the cup sitting near Christ—as though inviting us to imagine how heavy those objects might have been at the time, literally and figuratively! Curator: Indeed, it's rich with symbolic association—the vessels related to anointing or washing, reminders of ritual purity in the face of death. Boulanger invites us to connect emotionally but also consider religious underpinnings in art during the Baroque period. The dark clouds above seem to underline an imminent threat to Christian society at the time. Editor: And it succeeds so profoundly. I keep coming back to the emotion caught in their postures— the dramatic play between light and shadow adds intensity and volume in what's ultimately a very controlled medium, even delicate to behold considering the weight of the scene. Curator: "Bewening" illustrates well how a somber mood and religious symbolism can coexist to portray emotionality in ways that linger with us centuries later. Editor: I find it kind of incredible. From just black and white marks comes such a depth of feeling. So much with so little—that’s powerful!