Winged genius seated on a cloud, sounding a trumpet with his left hand extended upwards (1628)
Original title: Winged genius seated on a cloud, sounding a trumpet with his left hand extended upwards
kurzbeschreibung
Dated 1628, Cherubino Alberti's engraving presents a winged genius perched on a cloud and sounding a trumpet. Anatomical precision meets Baroque drama, and the Latin motto "VIRTUTIS PRAEMIUM" (the reward of virtue) accompanies the figure.
Description
The naked, barefoot angel crouches on a cloud, wings spread wide. His left hand grips an upward-pointing trumpet, while his expression stays calm and thoughtful. The folds of the cloud and the slight twist of the body give the layout its tension. Delicate hatching and shading model light and surfaces across the monochrome sheet. Below sit the Latin text, the year 1628 and the initials "CAB".
Context
Cherubino Alberti (1553–1615), an Italian engraver and Mannerist painter, became known for reproductive prints after works by the great masters. The date 1628 is puzzling, since Alberti died in 1615 — perhaps a posthumous impression or a later edition. In the iconography of the period, the trumpeting genius points to fame and virtue, as the motto "VIRTUTIS PRAEMIUM" also suggests. Alberti produced numerous prints for papal and aristocratic patrons in Rome.
Impact
The genius feels calm yet powerful; precise linework and soft shading give him an almost sculptural presence. Out of anatomical accuracy and Baroque movement arises a solemn, elevated mood.
Technique
This sheet is an etching: the lines were cut into a metal plate, which was then bitten with acid. Parallel hatching and cross-hatching produce finely graded tones and plastic modeling. At 23.3 × 16.5 cm the format is small and invites close looking.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)