Flyvende engel med en krone mellem hænderne 1602 - 1674

This drawing of a flying angel holding a crown was made by Michel Corneille, sometime in the 17th century. It’s rendered with black chalk, a material that allows for both delicate lines and broad shading. Chalk is interesting. It lies between the immediacy of drawing and the potential for painterly effects. Think about the labor involved: the patient layering of tones, the artist’s hand moving across the paper, building form through subtle gradations. The angel almost seems to emerge from the paper itself. The material lends itself to softness, emphasizing the angel's ethereal nature. Chalk allowed Corneille to create a sense of volume and depth through the careful manipulation of light and shadow. Consider the skilled hand that coaxed this vision into being. It’s easy to overlook the artistry embedded in this type of preparatory sketch, but the skill involved is undeniable, and reminds us that craft is not separate from fine art, but essential to it.