Angel 1755 - 1775

This limewood sculpture of an angel was carved by Ignaz Günther, a leading sculptor in Southern Germany during the mid-18th century. Günther was deeply engaged in the visual culture of his time. The bust, with its cherubic features and rose adorned head, represents the Rococo style, a theatrical aesthetic that dominated European art in the 1700s. Rococo was often associated with the aristocracy, but the style was also promoted by the Catholic Church as part of its campaign to win back supporters after the Protestant Reformation. The politics of imagery were very important to Günther, who spent his career producing religious art for churches and monasteries in Bavaria. To understand the meaning of art like this, we have to understand the religious institutions and political climate of its day. Original letters and records of payment are invaluable resources for the art historian. We also need to consider the public role of religious images in early modern Europe.