Flying Angel

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection, where Cristoforo Roncalli, known as Pomarancio (1553–1626), captivates with his *Flying Angel*. This intimate drawing, gifted by Joseph M. Lichtenauer in 1890, measures just 6 15/16 x 8 1/2 inches, yet bursts with dynamic energy. Roncalli, a prominent Italian Mannerist painter active in late 16th-century Rome, specialized in frescoes for churches and palaces, blending Renaissance grace with elongated forms and dramatic movement characteristic of Mannerism. Crafted in red chalk with subtle black chalk accents and squared in red for transfer to a larger mural or fresco, the work reveals preparatory mastery. Red chalk was prized in the Renaissance for its warm tones and ability to model flesh and drapery with soft, luminous effects—perfect for evoking an angel's ethereal flight. The squaring grid highlights Roncalli's methodical process, scaling sketches for grand commissions amid the Counter-Reformation's demand for inspiring religious imagery. Angels like this one symbolized divine intervention, resonating in Baroque-era art. This gem offers a rare glimpse into an artist's studio, showcasing Pomarancio's skill in anatomy, motion, and spirituality—inviting you to imagine it soaring across a vaulted ceiling.