Engel geketend aan de wereld 1590 - 1624

Boëtius Adamsz. Bolswert created this engraving, titled ‘Angel Chained to the World’ where the angel is caught between earthly constraint and spiritual yearning. The composition is structured around a dynamic contrast. At the base, an angel's leg is chained to a sphere, grounding it in a tangible, material world. This contrasts sharply with the angel's upward gaze and outstretched arms, reaching towards a divine figure bathed in celestial light at the composition's apex. The stark lines of the engraving emphasize this dichotomy, visually enacting the struggle between earthly bonds and spiritual liberation. Bolswert uses the angel's form to explore dualistic concepts. The chain and sphere serve not just as literal restraints but as symbolic weights that tie the soul to earthly concerns. This visual metaphor is both powerful and poignant, revealing that the desire for spiritual transcendence must be met with earthly obligations.