An angel in flight
1650
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1650
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
An angel in flight is a 1650 by Pier Francesco Morazzone, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This sketch shows a winged figure curled up in a tight, swirling pose. The angel’s body is wrapped in flowing drapery, and its head is tucked close to its knees. The lines are loose and quick, like a rough draft—some areas are dark and thick, while others fade into the paper. The drawing looks like it was made with repeated lines to build up shadow, almost like scratching into the surface. It feels urgent, like the artist was working fast. Check out cross-hatching to see how artists build depth with lines.
A preparatory drawing in black chalk with white heightening, squared in black chalk, depicts an angel in flight, created as a study for one of the angels holding scrolls in the fresco of the *Ascent to Calvary* located in the 36th chapel at the Sacro Monte di Varallo.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Pier Francesco Morazzone drew religious scenes and figures in the early 1600s. Look for the Drawing called An angel in flight to see how he sketched movement with quick, delicate lines. The work belongs to the early…
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