When you look at old works at art museums, you often see paintings of angels.
I find the unrealistic nature of works depicting angels very appealing, and when I see them on display at art museums, I can't help but take a close look at them.
This time, we will explain why angels are depicted in paintings and introduce some recommended paintings of angels!
table of contents
・What is an angel in a painting?
・Angel and Cupid are two different entities!
・Recommended works depicting angels
・What is an angel in a painting?
First of all, what kind of image do you have of "angels"? ?
Cute, sacred, beautiful, etc...I think people get different impressions of it.
Angels are often used as anime characters and game motifs, but in the field of painting, angels are often depicted as "messengers of God" in religious paintings, especially during the Renaissance (around the 14th to 16th centuries). .
The meaning varies slightly depending on the religion, but angels are depicted in various religions such as Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.
It would be extremely long to explain each religion, so if you are interested, please check out the angels treated in each religion.
・Angel and Cupid are two different entities!
Cupid of Victory (1770/Jean Honoré Fragonard)
When examining religious paintings and old paintings, you may come across paintings of children with bows and arrows, but this is ``Cupid'' and is depicted as a different entity from angels.
In religious paintings, angels are depicted as ``messengers of God,'' but Cupid is the ``god of love,'' and it seems to have the meaning of manipulating people's love hearts with the arrow in his hand.
The more you look into this, the more interesting the painting becomes, so if you're interested, please check it out✨
・Recommended works depicting angels
“What kind of work is a work depicting an angel?”
Some people may think so, but I think most of the representative paintings depicting angels were painted during the Renaissance period.
At that time, the literacy rate was lower than it is now, so many religious paintings were created to explain religion through pictures instead of words.
Of course, even today, the number may be fewer than during the Renaissance, but I think religious paintings with various interpretations are still being painted. If you go to museums or exhibitions, you might even see works of angels drawn by recent artists!
Song of Angels (1881/William-Adolphe Bouguereau)
It is said that William Adolphe Bouguereau painted many works with angels and girls as their subjects.
Many of my works are drawn to the contrast of shadows and light, which are both realistic and yet have a fantastical beauty.
Jacob and the Angel (1878/Gustave Moreau)
He was a writer who often depicted myths and the Bible as subject matter in his works.
Coupled with the motifs, many fantastical imaginary worlds are depicted, and it will captivate your eyes...!
·summary
Above, we have provided a brief explanation of angels in paintings and introduced some recommended works of angels!
How was it? Many paintings are created with various thoughts in mind, but in religious paintings, the role of each person is determined by the color of the cloth worn or the motif held in the hand of the person. .
I think if you look at the work with that knowledge, you will find it more interesting ✨
Also, this time we introduced works by famous artists, but at " FROM ARTIST" you can view and purchase works by currently active artists!
If you are interested, please take a look♪
FROM ARTIST currently has approximately 300 artists. It is a service that allows anyone to easily purchase art works from all over the country .
Many artists from all over Japan, both famous and unknown, have registered, so you might even meet an artist you haven't met yet!
There are many works on display regardless of genre, so you are sure to find your favorite work✨
Also, FROM ARTIST accepts custom-made paintings ! The customer selects the artist of their choice, and we will create the piece after hearing the detailed requirements of the customer and the artist. Would you like to create your own work, the only one in the world, with FROM ARTIST? ?
↓Check out the latest information on artists you are interested in from FROM ARTIST! ↓
https://from-artist.com/collections/all
Author: Fumitori Tsumugi
FROM ARTIST management staff. We write feature articles and columns, and provide operational support from an artist's perspective.
While I usually teach at a vocational school, I am also active as an artist, holding solo exhibitions and public exhibitions.
Supervisor: Shoma Toida
CEO of BUSCA LLC. FROM ARTIST business manager. Started his career as a marketer, gained experience at a business company and advertising agency, and then became independent. Completed marketing-related programs at multiple graduate schools and business schools, including the University of California, Berkeley and London Business School. He also studied the MBA Core Curriculum at Macquarie University and the importance of art in education at the University of British Columbia.