Angel, after Desiderio da Settignano - Joseph Lindon Smith

A precise 1894 study by Joseph Lindon Smith, capturing the form and marble texture of a Renaissance angel sculpture by Desiderio da Settignano.

This work is a precise study by the American artist Joseph Lindon Smith, executed in Florence in 1894. Smith gained recognition for his ability to replicate the textures and forms of historical sculpture and relief work with remarkable accuracy. In this piece, he captures a sculptural figure of an angel, a subject originally crafted by the Italian Renaissance master Desiderio da Settignano.

Smith employs a monochromatic palette, using washes of grey and graphite to mimic the cool, reflective surface of marble. The composition focuses on the profile of the angel, standing against a backdrop that suggests an architectural setting. The artist pays close attention to the play of light across the figure, using varying densities of wash to define the soft contours of the body and the delicate feathers of the wings. The background elements, including the suggestion of drapery and carved relief, are rendered with a lighter touch, ensuring the angel remains the primary subject of the viewer's attention.

This drawing reflects the late nineteenth-century practice of copying classical works as a method of artistic training and preservation. Smith was particularly known for his travels to Italy and Egypt, where he documented antiquities and Renaissance masterpieces. His approach here is objective, prioritising the faithful reproduction of the original sculpture's proportions and surface qualities over personal interpretation. The result is a study that functions as both a technical exercise and a record of the original marble work as it appeared at the time. The paper shows signs of age and handling, which adds to the historical character of the print. This piece is suitable for those interested in the history of art education, the study of Renaissance sculpture, and the tradition of academic drawing.