Artwork

The Seven Archangels (recto); Studies of an Archangel and a Wind God (verso)

The Seven Archangels (recto); Studies of an Archangel and a Wind God (verso) is a drawing by the Baroque artist Massimo Stanzione. It dates from 1624 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 2025.132
Credit line: Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund

About this work

Overview

This drawing by Massimo Stanzione depicts the Seven Archangels on one side and studies of an archangel and a wind god on the other. It is a preparatory work for a larger painting.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing shows seven angels in a row, characterized by calm, similar facial expressions. The iconography of the seven archangels was significant in the Neapolitan kingdom and Spain, where they were objects of devotion.

Technique & Style

Stanzione's style is distinct from the dramatic and naturalistic tendencies of his Neapolitan contemporaries. His work is marked by softer lines and a more classical approach, contrasting with the intense chiaroscuro prevalent in 17th-century Neapolitan art.

History & Provenance

The drawing is related to a painting by Stanzione at the Monasterio de la Descalzas Reales in Madrid. The cult of the Seven Angelic Princes was promoted by Antonio Del Duca, a 16th-century Sicilian friar.

The Seven Archangels (recto), Massimo Stanzione

Artist & collection

Artist

Massimo Stanzione

Massimo Stanzione (also called Stanzioni; Frattamaggiore 1585 – Naples 1656) was an Italian Baroque painter, mainly active in Naples, where he and his rival Jusepe de Ribera dominated the painting scene for several decades.