The Holy Family c. 19th century

Editor: This is "The Holy Family" by Henri-Guillaume Chatillon, located at the Harvard Art Museums. It feels like a Renaissance painting in its composition, but what really jumps out at me is the halos above each figure. What do you make of this imagery? Curator: Ah, the halos! They're powerful symbols, aren't they? A universal signifier of holiness, adopted across cultures and faiths. Here, they serve as a visual echo, linking Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in the sacred narrative, and reminding us of the spiritual weight each carries. Editor: That’s fascinating! It's amazing to consider how one simple shape can hold so much meaning across different cultural contexts. Curator: Indeed. And look at how the artist uses light to emphasize those halos, almost pulling them forward. Symbols gain strength through such visual cues, lodging themselves deeper in our collective memory. Editor: I see that now. Thanks, I’ll never look at halos the same way again.