Angel Words and Art » Renaissance Art

Botticelli Angel | BYBS

Kathleen — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:50:07 +0000

Botticelli angels are some of the loveliest in all of Italian Renaissance art. Their faces are beautiful and innocent, painted by the same master who created the iconic Botticelli Venus, rising from the sea on a shell.

This angel, a detail from a painting of the coronation of Mary, has the typical reddish gold hair and beautiful face. Notice that the wings are golden brown, probably so that they would fade into the background. The angel wears a sumptuous renaissance garment with a gold lace collar—something only very wealthy people could afford at that time.

The expression of awe and devotion on the face of the angel still inspires us today, as it must have when it was painted, between 1488 and 1490.

True inspiration from the angels—What a blessing!

Angel, from the “Coronation of the Virgin,” circa 1488-90 (Detail) Giclee Print
Botticelli,…
18 in. x 24 in.
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Annunciation Angel by Garofalo, Italian Renaissance | BYBS

Kathleen — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:47:52 +0000

Annunciation angels were among the most popular subjects for angel art during the Italian Renaissance. There seem to be more of them than any other angels in classical Renaissance Christian religious art.

In this painting by Garofalo, an angel announces to the virgin, Mary, that she is to give birth to a holy child. Notice that the rather muscular-looking angel wears colored garments, though his wings appear to be white.

Compare this painting to other Annunciation angel paintings from early Renaissance, in which the angels often have small bird wings of various natural colors.

Garofalo painted during the Italian High Renaissance era, ca. 1481-1559. He was also known as Benvenuto Tisi or Tisio. Garofalo studied under Rafael. His own students included Girolamo da Carpi.

The Annunciation Giclee Print
Garofalo
18 in. x 24 in.
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The Queenship of Mary (deaconforlife.blogspot.com)
Hail, Holy Queen: heaven and earth resound the hymn! (deacbench.blogspot.com)

Angel of Peace with Olive Branch | BYBS

Kathleen — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:07:58 +0000

This angel of peace in a painting by Netherlandish (Dutch) painter Hans Memling has a sweet, serene face, a white robe, and small white wings. Interestingly he also has a black pouch slung over his shoulder. What is in it?

The angel holds an olive branch, representing peace, contrasts dramatically with a gold background.

Hans Memling, also known as Hans Memlinc (ca. 1435-1494), was a Northern Renaissance painter in what is now the Netherlands. He studied under Rogier van der Weyden. His own students included Gerard David and Michel Sittow.

Such beauty and inspiration from the past are a true blessing.

Angel Holding an Olive Branch Giclee Print
Memling, Hans
18 in. x 24 in.
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Choir of Angels | BYBS

Kathleen — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:24:51 +0000

This little choir of angels is from a painting fragment, probably of a nativity painting from the early Italian Renaissance. The name of the artist is not known.

Notice the different colored angel wings, which look more like bird wings than the huge, white, fluffy wings depicted on angels in the last century. In fact, the wing colors seem to be chosen to match the angel robes—or vice versa.

The angels in the choir all appear to be male. Some appear a bit chubby and not very young or beautiful. In old religious paintings, the faces of angels, saints, monks, and others were often portraits of donors or patrons of the artist. That may very well be the case in this painting.

Though much art has been lost in wars and fires through the centuries, the world still possesses a wealth of angel art. What a blessing it is to have so many beautiful and interesting sources of inspiration from the past.

A Choir of Angels a Fragment, Probably of Nativity Giclee Print
18 in. x 24 in.
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Annunciation Angel by Juan de Borgona | BYBS

Kathleen — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:35:21 +0000

This annunciation angel by Spanish painter Juan de Borgona has stylized black and white wings and an interesting Renaissance garment with a tight waist.

Notice that the virgin Mary wears the black habit of a nun. Many of the features of the old religious paintings were symbolic. No attempt was made to be historically accurate, and the information about the clothing and customs of Biblical times was unavailable anyway.

Mary is usually shown amid sumptuous Renaissance furnishings such as those that probably surrounded the wealthy patrons and princes of the Church who paid for the paintings.

Still, we are blessed that someone provided the money to create such beautiful and inspiring art and left it for us to enjoy.

The Annunciation Giclee Print
Borgona, Juan de
18 in. x 24 in.
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