Elijah Visited by an Angel in the Wilderness (1 Kings 19:4-8)
1687–1749
Medium
Brush and brown wash, highlighted with white, over traces of black chalk, on light brown paper
Dimensions
10 3/8 x 8 3/4 in. (26.3 x 22.3 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1953
Accession Number
53.169
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the dimly lit wilderness of the biblical narrative from 1 Kings 19:4-8, Alessandroasco captures a pivotal moment of divine intervention: the prophet Elijah, weary and despairing a broom tree, visited by a comforting angel bearing sustenance. Created between 1687 and 1749, this evocative drawing exemplifies the Italian Baroque master's fascination with dramatic light, spiritual encounters, and rugged landscapes. Magnasco, often called "Lissandrino" for his flickering, nervous brushwork, infused his works with a sense of mystery and the supernatural, blending religious devotion with theatrica...
About the Artist
Alessandro Magnasco · 1667–1749
Comment on works: Religious