Angels

Guardians of Life and Death

Angels, messengers between the divine sphere and the earthly world, have always occupied people.

Originally, angels were mythical messengers from heaven. The mostly winged figures with human faces wandered through the centuries as inter-worldly heralds of divine messages between heaven and earth. Especially in Christianity angels play an important role. Examples of religious ideas of angels shown are: the servants of God, the fallen angels (Lucifer), the angels of death and the soul guides.

Thanatos, the winged death, is an antique motif that came to life again in the second half of the 18th century and replaced the frightening skeleton. As a handsome young man, he stands for a new view upon death.

In the course of history, angels penetrated deeper and deeper into the worldly realms, becoming personal admonishers, protectors and intercessors of mankind and thus also had their special relationship to the dying, the deceased and the bereaved.