Angel’s Head
unknown folk sculptor
Basic information
- ID
- С-I-1698
- Author
- unknown folk sculptor
- Name
- Angel’s Head
- Date of creation
- 19th c.
- Country
- Ukraine
- Technique
- carving polychrome
- Material
- wood
- Dimensions (height x width x depth, cm)
- 18.4 x 47.5 x 8.6
Additionally
- Type
- sculpture
- Genre
- religious
- Plot
- Cherub
- Provenance
- Unknown origin
Information about author
Object description
The carved wooden image appears as a symbolic representation of a cherub. The work is executed in a manner characteristic of folk artists. The face is realistic and somewhat stern, devoid of lavish idealisation and expressiveness. The somewhat conventionally marked facial features – sunken eyes and a snub nose – contrast with small, thin, dark burgundy lips. The light complexion of the face contrasts sharply with the dark colour of the hair, giving the image a dramatic tone. The large, spreading wings, full of decorative rhythm, are carefully carved and painted in a silvery tone. To a certain extent, they balance the severity of the face, drawing attention to themselves. The image does not so much emphasise angelic tenderness as embody a guardian and protective essence. The work reveals the artist's desire to combine realistic human features with the symbolism of heavenly forces, creating an archaic and, at the same time, monumental interpretation of a cherub.
Legal regulation
Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery
