Kind met vleugels probeert te vliegen 1590 - 1624

Editor: We’re looking at “Child with wings trying to fly,” an engraving by Boëtius Adamsz. Bolswert, created sometime between 1590 and 1624. The tiny details of this seascape create an overwhelming sense of longing and melancholy for me. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I am immediately struck by the dynamic interplay of lines and forms within the composition. Note the sharp, decisive lines used to delineate the figure's wings, contrasting with the softer, more fluid lines used to depict the turbulent sea. How does this textural variation affect your understanding of the work's overall message? Editor: I guess it sets up a kind of push-pull… the choppy sea is chaotic, the child is trying for escape or freedom, something smoother… a means of rising above? Curator: Precisely! The contrast amplifies the visual tension, emphasizing the child's aspiration towards flight amidst the unpredictable nature of the world. Semiotically, the wings serve as a signifier, pointing to notions of transcendence. What other compositional elements catch your eye? Editor: The light streaks, from above… is there significance to how that intersects with the child? Curator: Indeed. The descending rays serve a structural role by dividing the image into distinct planes, further separating the aspirational realm of flight from the grounded reality below. We also see an additional winged figure up there... Are they a vision? Is the child doomed? This calculated construction allows us to dissect Bolswert's symbolic exploration of desire and limitation, freedom and imprisonment. Editor: It’s amazing to consider how much meaning is packed into a piece using such seemingly simple visual strategies. I never would have picked up on so much on my own. Curator: These elements work together, enriching our understanding of its layered significance. Looking at an artwork through line, tone and symbol has shifted my perspective and taught me how art conveys meaning.