The artwork “Angel (fragment of the Baronci altarpiece)” was created by the renowned artist Raphael in the year 1500. It is executed in oil on canvas, a common medium for the time, and exemplifies the High Renaissance art movement. The artwork’s dimensions are a modest 31 x 27 cm, characterizing it as a small-scale piece, yet it holds significant artistic value, as it belongs to the genre of religious painting. Currently, the artwork is housed in the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo in Brescia, Italy.
This artwork is a fragmentary piece that once was part of the larger Baronci altarpiece, which was commissioned for the Baronci chapel in the church of Sant’Agostino in Città di Castello, Italy. The angel depicted is rendered with a delicate beauty that is typical of Raphael’s work during the period. The angel’s countenance exudes a serene and contemplative demeanor, with downcast eyes that invoke a sense of humility and reverence.
In terms of composition, the subject is shown in a three-quarter profile with a slight turn towards the viewer’s left. The angel’s flowing hair, exquisitely painted to reveal individual curls, cascades down its shoulders, creating a sense of movement and softness that contrasts with the sharp, clear lines that contour its face and garments. The angel’s robe is a combination of white and earth tones, draped gracefully over the shoulder, while a red cloak, symbolizing divine love and sacrifice, adds a vibrant splash of color against the more subdued palette of the figure.
Raphael’s mastery of chiaroscuro—the treatment of light and shade in artwork—is evident in the subtle gradation of tones on the angel’s skin and the intricate detailing on the edge of the cloak where golden threads catch the light, demonstrating the artist’s sophisticated technique and attention to detail. The background is sparse, serving to focus the viewer’s attention primarily on the seraphic beauty and grace of the celestial being that Raphael envisioned.
In the context of Renaissance art, this piece stands as a testament to the era’s celebration of humanistic ideals and aesthetic perfection, with religious themes often serving as a conduit for the expression of these ideals. Raphael’s angel, despite being a mere fragment of a greater work, nonetheless conveys a profound sense of the sacred and encapsulates the resplendent qualities that make High Renaissance art so revered.