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An Angel

Daniele Crespi

1620

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque

Dominant colour

An Angel is a 1620 ink by Daniele Crespi, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Daniele Crespi
When & what style?: 1620 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing shows a single figure wrapped in flowing drapery, arms crossed over a draped cloth. The face is turned slightly away, with soft curls framing it. The lines are loose and expressive, blending light and shadow to give the figure a three-dimensional feel. The artist used brown ink and white highlights to create depth, almost like sculpting with light. This style was common in the 1600s for sketches that looked like finished works. Look up Baroque to see more art that plays with light and movement this way.