Angels with the Instruments of the Passion 16th-17th century

Editor: This is Orazio Farinati's "Angels with the Instruments of the Passion," a 16th-century engraving. I find the cherubic figures carrying symbols of such suffering surprisingly poignant. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The angels themselves are visual metaphors. They carry the cross, the crown of thorns—objects laden with centuries of meaning. Their childish forms are in stark contrast with the gravity of those objects. Editor: So the juxtaposition amplifies the emotional weight of the Passion? Curator: Precisely. It speaks to the innocence lost, and perhaps, to the enduring nature of faith, carried forward through generations. It shows a visual memory, a continuity. Editor: That’s a powerful way to look at it. I hadn't considered the enduring aspect. Curator: Symbols are never static; they are constantly being reinterpreted. Editor: I'll remember that. Thanks!