Kneeling Angel
Unknown Artist
ca. 1430–40
Medium
Alabaster
Dimensions
14 1/2 x 3 3/4 x 8 3/4 in. (36.8 x 9.5 x 22.2 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture
South Netherlandish or German
Department
The Cloisters
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cloisters Collection, 1965
Accession Number
65.215.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in The Cloisters' collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, *Kneeling Angel*ca. 1430–40) exemplifies the refined religious sculpture of South Netherlandish or workshops during the late Gothic period. Carved from alabaster—a soft, translucent stone prized for its luminous quality and of intricate detailing—the 14½-inch figure captures a moment of serene devotion. The angel kneels gracefully, wings folded and hands likely clasped in prayer, embodying the ethereal intermediaries between heaven and earth so revered in medieval Christianity. Alabaster sculptures like this one were popu...