Illustrations of Angel by 100 Sketches

Author: Feng Xianfeng / Huang Chaoen (editors)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Angel (1780.8-1867.1) was one of the most famous representatives of the French Neoclassical painting school. Born on August 29, 1780, in Montauban, southern France. His father, Joseph Angel, was a decorative sculptor and painter, an academician of the Royal Academy of Arts, and a music enthusiast. His mother was the daughter of a court wig maker. Angel had five brothers and was the eldest. In 1786, Angel entered a church school, and his father intended to train him to become an artist skilled in both music and painting. In 1791, Angel was sent to the Toulouse Academy to study art, studying under oil painter Guillaume Joseph Roque and sculptor Vigan. He also studied landscape painting under landscape painter Jean Briant. From 1794, he made progress in violin playing under the musician Léran and served as a second violinist in the local orchestra for two years. In his youth, he discovered a copy of Raphael's "Madonna of the Chair" brought back from Italy in his teacher's place, which moved them to tears with excitement. Later, he revered Raphael for the rest of his life. Angel's early works demonstrated a delicate sense of color, but in Angel's creative work, especially in oil painting, the main role was played by very prepared and concise sketches. Angel represented the conservative academic school, opposing the emerging Romantic painting school at the time, creating sharp academic struggles.