Weergave op retina van engel leunend op wapenschild 1679

Curator: At the Rijksmuseum, we have a fascinating drawing from 1679 titled "Weergave op retina van engel leunend op wapenschild," or "Representation on the retina of an angel leaning on a coat of arms," by Sébastien Leclerc I. Editor: The stark lines immediately give it an almost scientific quality. It's like peering through a lens, or into one. Curator: It's an allegorical piece reflecting the scientific curiosity of the era. The prominent placement of the eye at the base makes a bold statement. Consider the social impact—the 17th century saw groundbreaking discoveries in optics and anatomy, changing the way we understood perception itself, which Leclerc encapsulates here. Editor: The composition certainly leads the eye. From the ethereal angel, past a lesser iteration, culminating in that powerful eye at the base. Those converging lines almost have the angel projecting itself onto the eye's retina, don't you think? Curator: Precisely! And notice how Leclerc uses the Baroque style—a dramatic flair even for scientific illustrations—reflecting the era's penchant for the theatrical and grand. It wasn’t just about scientific fact; it was about presentation. It's a representation of religious belief meeting Enlightenment ideals in the public sphere. Editor: The winged figure adds to the feeling of looking up toward some unattainable, celestial ideal. But those stark lines are more rationalist than anything else. It seems paradoxical, doesn't it? A combination of divine figures observed from a modern and almost scientific gaze. Curator: Indeed. The image makes a fascinating point of how faith and reason coexisted and were often interwoven within artistic and scientific explorations. Thank you for lending your eye to this interesting artwork with me. Editor: My pleasure, its linear perspective and allegorical figures have me considering the role of observation in faith and science with fresh eyes.