Ecclesia Surrounded by Angels Holding the Instruments of the Passion 

Editor: Here we have what's described as "Ecclesia Surrounded by Angels Holding the Instruments of the Passion," a pen and ink and charcoal drawing by Bernardo Strozzi. It's Baroque, with many figures in dynamic poses. The sepia tones give it an antique feel. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: What grabs my attention is the deliberate contrast in material presence. Look at the ethereal rendering of the angels compared to the weight of Ecclesia. What does this imply about the perceived value or purpose attached to the Church, relative to the spiritual realm? How do the available materials influence such considerations? Editor: So you're focusing on the contrast created by the medium itself. What about the 'instruments of the passion' being displayed? Curator: Exactly. The instruments of Christ's suffering become tools of labor, almost mass-produced within religious workshops of the time. And Ecclesia presenting a model of a building: are we seeing here an allusion to capital, in her possession? Or spiritual guidance? Where do we locate power here? Editor: I never thought about religious objects in terms of "production" or "capital" before! It seems counterintuitive somehow, to analyze sacred symbols through that lens. Curator: Perhaps it feels sacrilegious to expose what some consider to be sacred. But what better way to appreciate its relevance by observing where materials come from, who makes it, and the power dynamics involved? What labor went into both the creation of this piece and into these symbols themselves? How has this labor changed the use-value of these symbolic objects? Editor: That’s a totally different way of thinking about it, framing art through its making and its purpose in society. Thank you for that. Curator: My pleasure. Considering artistic creation through such means gives value to both the object and those making it, no?