France, Champagne / c. 1350
The Archangel Gabriel from an Annunciation Group
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs The Archangel Gabriel from an Annunciation Group as sculpture (France, Champagne · c. 1350).
The surface of alabaster works can vary. By differentiating the intensity of polishing, it is possible for sculptures to create a surface with varying degrees of luster, or shine.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this sculpture as alabaster with traces of paint and gilding.
The museum's collection notes: In France, the use of alabaster began in the late 1200s for funerary monuments. The Archangel Gabriel, together with its counterpart, the Virgin Mary (now in the Louvre Museum, Paris) is part of an Annunciation. This is a rare example of alabaster sculpture from the 1300s. The alabaster comes from a quarry near Malaucène in Provence (France), making it an instance of long-distance trade of the rare material. Although the figure is very flat, it was likely made to also be viewed from the back, where there are remnants of gilding and the peacock feathers of the angel’s wing.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtThe Archangel Gabriel from an Annunciation GroupOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.