Medieval · National Gallery of Art · 46196

The Archangel Gabriel

Pisan 14th Century, 1325/1350

A person stands with hands together at the chest in this freestanding, painted wood sculpture. The person’s body faces us and the head turns and looks slightly down to our right in this photograph. Brown hair curls close to the head and down the back of the neck. The skin is ivory white. The almond-shaped eyes are faintly painted, and he has a straight, delicate nose and thin, slightly smiling pink lips. One hand touches his chest and the other is held in front, perhaps with thumbs touching, palm facing our right. White robes lined with indigo blue fall in cascading folds down his body over a rose-pink tunic, and both pool on the octagonal wood base. There are paint losses and small areas of damage throughout but is most noticeable at the bottom. The wood is cracked in the person’s hair.

National Gallery of Art · National Gallery of Art, Washington · Samuel H. Kress Collection · CC0 · Public domain

Artist: Pisan 14th Century
Date: 1325/1350
Medium: wood, polychromed and gilded
Dimensions: 159.4 x 47.3 x 36 cm (62 3/4 x 18 5/8 x 14 3/16 in.)
Era: Medieval

Why it matters

The Archangel Gabriel, dated 1325/1350, is catalogued by National Gallery of Art as a work in wood, polychromed and gilded. The museum attributes the work to Pisan 14th Century. The recorded dimensions are 159.4 x 47.3 x 36 cm (62 3/4 x 18 5/8 x 14 3/16 in.). This factual page is generated from the museum catalogue and links directly to its source record.

National Gallery of Art collection record