Artwork
Concert des Anges autour de l'enfant Jesus (Concert of Angels around the Infant Jesus)
Concert des Anges autour de l'enfant Jesus (Concert of Angels around the Infant Jesus) is an ink print by the Baroque artist Charles-Paul-Jean-Baptiste de Bourgevin Vialart de Saint-Morys. It dates from 1774 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left in image: St Moris sculpsit; below image, at center, in graphite: Concert des Anges autour de l'enfant Jesus; below image, at right, in red pencil: de Saint-Moris f; below image, at right, in graphite: MESP lc
About this work
Overview
Created around 1774, this print by Charles‑Paul‑Jean‑Baptiste de Bourgevin Vialart de Saint‑Morys depicts a celestial gathering of angels surrounding the infant Jesus. Executed in brown ink on laid paper, the work combines etching with aquatint, producing a harmonious blend of line and tonal washes that convey a serene, celebratory atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on the newborn Christ seated upon a cloud, encircled by a choir of angels each engaged in playing musical instruments. The arrangement suggests a heavenly hymn of praise, emphasizing themes of divine joy and the spiritual harmony associated with the Nativity narrative.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Morys employed both traditional etching and the aquatint process, allowing for delicate line work alongside broad, velvety tonal areas. The brown pigment lends warmth, while the subtle gradations create a sense of depth and a softly luminous quality reminiscent of late Baroque sensibilities, though rendered in print rather than paint.
History & Provenance
The print is part of the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. It entered the museum through acquisition in the 20th century, representing a rare example of Saint‑Morys’s printmaking output and illustrating the continued interest in religious subjects among French artists of the late eighteenth century.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles-Paul-Jean-Baptiste de Bourgevin Vialart de Saint-Morys
Charles-Paul-Jean-Baptiste de Bourgevin Vialart de Saint-Morys (1743–1795) was an artist.
The Adoration of the Magi
Saint Paul Preaching in Athens
Madonna and Child with Angels, Saint Benedict, and Saint Scholastica
Rest on the Flight into Egypt
The Adoration of the Shepherds
The Holy Family
The Nativity
The Circumcision of Christ
The Adoration of the Magi
Vision of St. Philip Neri- Education of the Virgin