Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Eglise Saint-Sulpice de Fougères (detail) 1919

Ludovic Alleaume crafted this stained glass likely sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Here, a figure with wings holds a scroll. Notice the scroll itself, bearing inscriptions. Scrolls, throughout history, are more than mere text carriers; they symbolize knowledge, revelation, and divine decree. This motif echoes ancient Egyptian papyri and classical Roman scrolls, each carrying the weight of accumulated wisdom. Consider the angel’s wings: these are not simply decorative. They represent the capacity to traverse earthly and divine realms, a symbol found as far back as Mesopotamian art. The gesture of holding the scroll evokes reflection and contemplation, a universal posture of engaging with profound truths. Observe how this seemingly simple gesture recurs across cultures, from religious icons to philosophical portraits, as it continues to embody intellectual and spiritual contemplation. Thus, the angel with the scroll encapsulates a timeless quest for understanding, transcending its immediate context and echoing through the annals of art history.