Protecting angels and heavenly helpers

Wherever danger threatens, they are not far away: guardian angels watch over children and adolescents and protect them from a variety of dangers. If the little ones approach a precipice while playing, lost in thought, then they will be slowed down by the heavenly helper. Even crossing a narrow footbridge involves life-threatening risks, which are minimized by the personal escort of the guardian.

The depiction of guardian angels can be traced back to late antiquity. However, the exhibition exclusively featured examples from the 19th & 20th centuries from the Museum's own collection of popular prints, which have a visual language all their own. In the living rooms of the petty bourgeoisie of both denominations, depictions of guardian money enjoyed great popularity from the late 19th century onwards. The image carriers and production techniques are diverse: the motifs can be found on embossed prints, punched lace pictures, postcards and colored prints of the time. The size of the exhibits ranged from small-format devotional pictures to large-format oil prints.