Anonymous draughtsman, Neapolitan School
17th to 18th century
Pen and ink on paper
Image 1 1/2 x 3 inches; archival frame 13 x 15 inches
Provenance: Private New England collection
A small study of a standing winged angel, shown in three-quarter view with wings spread behind the shoulders, holding a palm frond in one hand and a sword in the other. The figure is rendered in fine pen lines with hatched shading, the compact proportions and crisp handling characteristic of Neapolitan draftsmanship of the 17th to 18th century. Studies of angel figures of this type were made in preparation for altarpieces, fresco programs, and devotional paintings, serving as records of figural types that could be adapted across multiple compositions.
The palm and sword are attributes of martyrdom and divine justice respectively, identifying the figure as an archangel or martyr saint within a devotional context. Despite its small scale, the drawing displays the economy and assurance of an experienced hand working within an established studio tradition.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Anonymous draughtsman, Neapolitan School
17th to 18th century
Pen and ink on paper
Image 1 1/2 x 3 inches; archival frame 13 x 15 inches
Provenance: Private New England collection
A small study of a standing winged angel, shown in three-quarter view with wings spread behind the shoulders, holding a palm frond in one hand and a sword in the other. The figure is rendered in fine pen lines with hatched shading, the compact proportions and crisp handling characteristic of Neapolitan draftsmanship of the 17th to 18th century. Studies of angel figures of this type were made in preparation for altarpieces, fresco programs, and devotional paintings, serving as records of figural types that could be adapted across multiple compositions.
The palm and sword are attributes of martyrdom and divine justice respectively, identifying the figure as an archangel or martyr saint within a devotional context. Despite its small scale, the drawing displays the economy and assurance of an experienced hand working within an established studio tradition.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
