Engel met bazuin op een wolk met boeken c. 1715 - 1717

Curator: Alright, let’s discuss this striking print: "Engel met bazuin op een wolk met boeken," or "Angel with Trumpet on a Cloud with Books," by Bernard Picart, dating from around 1715 to 1717. Editor: My immediate thought is that this cherubic figure, seemingly weightless on a cloud of ideas, seems a bit…stuffy? All those books and that rather serious expression, makes the trumpet feel more like an announcement of obligations than joy. Curator: Well, looking at it through a formalist lens, notice the allegorical structure, blending classical and baroque elements. The composition emphasizes the symbolic value of each element. Books for learning, the trumpet representing enlightenment. Editor: I get that! And I adore the engraving technique – so detailed yet ethereal! But artistically, does it really sing? It feels a little contrived. I think what is odd about the books is they act like steps or a platform - it just takes me away from feeling the lightness you might associate with an angel floating on clouds. Curator: Contrived? I think it's quite masterful. The contrast of light and shadow, created by Picart's skilled engraving, brings a dynamism that's hard to ignore. Each line has meaning in delineating form, particularly when considered from a semiotic perspective in considering how symbols reinforce meaning. Editor: I suppose so, the texture in the clouds *is* beautiful. The cross-hatching technique almost feels modern for its time, doesn’t it? I wonder, what sort of message was Picart aiming to transmit in a society ripe with scientific revolution? Curator: Maybe that the dissemination of knowledge comes with a divine pronouncement. What do you think that the use of allegory here suggests about the artist's worldview and societal values in the early 18th century? Editor: Hmmm... that the pursuit of knowledge is a celestial quest, but also one needing some serious effort given how grounded and book-heavy this angel appears! This discussion does make me see more of the piece's intentionality.