Engel in aanbidding

About this artwork

**Engel in Aanbidding (Angel in Adoration)** *Charles Le Brun, 1630–1690, paper, 256 × 178 mm* Charles Le Brun, a towering figure in 17th-century French art, created this delicate drawing during his prolific career. Born in 1619, Le Brun rose to prominence as the First Painter to King Louis XIV and director of the Royal Academy of and Sculpture. His works bridged the exuberance of Baroque drama with the refined classicism favored at Versailles, often featuring religious themes that exalted divine grandeur. "Engel in Aanbidding," translating to "Angel in Adoration," exemplifies his skill in capturing ethereal spirituality on a modest scale. Rendered on paper in a compact 256 × 178 mm format, this piece likely served as a preparatory study or independent devotional work, common in Le Brun's oeuvre of sketches and modelli. The intimate dimensions invite close contemplation, highlighting his mastery of line, shadow, and gesture to convey reverence. Such drawings were vital in the Baroque era, bridging studio preparation for grand canvases and personal piety amid France's Catholic revival under the Sun King. Le Brun's influence shaped European academies, standardizing artistic training and elevating drawing as a foundation of composition. For visitors, this artwork offers a window into the devotional fervor and technical precision of absolutist France, reminding us how even small sketches could embody profound faith and royal ambition.