Angel-Shaped Quinquet Lamp

The wooden polychrome quinquet lamp is an intriguing specimen of decorative and applied plastic art that merges the functions of sacred art and interior lighting. The artwork presents the depiction of an angel seated upon a cloud. The figure is captured in a subtle S-shaped curve characteristic of the Baroque era. The left leg is bent at the knee, whilst the torso is oriented frontally with a slight turn in the upper section. The right hand is humbly pressed against the chest, whereas the left is raised aloft, holding a profiled nozzle equipped with a metal spike for securing a beeswax candle.
The figure of the angel features somewhat archaic, simplified, and robust proportions. The head is characterised by an elongated oval face with a broad forehead, a distinctly defined wedge-shaped chin, eyebrow arches rendered in black paint, and large, accentuated eyes outlined with a dark contour. The bare hips of the angel are enveloped by a heavy silvered drapery that cascades in sharp, wedge-shaped creases. Behind the back, a small wing with a conventional treatment of plumage is visible.
The base of the work consists of a decorative cloud modelled with rounded volumes. The angel's flesh tones are rendered in a warm, natural hue, with a faint flush upon the cheeks lending lifelike vitality to the image. The artwork is executed in the traditional manner of Folk sacred sculpture with distinct resonances of provincial Baroque.

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery