The Firmament
Original title: The Firmament
kurzbeschreibung
An angel sits on a globe with wings spread wide, surrounded by stars. This copperplate engraving by Sir Nicolas Dorigny dates from 1695. Its model came from the circle of Raphael, making the print a testament to Baroque printmaking.
Description
Broad, outstretched wings fan out above a terrestrial globe, on which an angel sits with both hands laid flat on its surface. The globe bears a coat of arms framed by crowns and a sword, divided into several fields with different symbols. Numerous stars crowd around the coat of arms in dense succession. The angel gazes upward, its posture wavering between strength and awe. A band of text with Latin words runs across the bottom of the sheet, referring to a Duke of Burgundy.
Context
Sir Nicolas Dorigny, a French engraver, became known above all for his reproductions after Raphael. His engraving of 1695 takes up the motif of the firmament and points to a connection with a Duke of Burgundy. The model likely came from Raphael's circle, as the title 'Raphaelis Sanctij Vrbinais Planetarium' suggests. Prints of this kind helped spread artworks and cosmological ideas throughout Baroque Europe.
Impact
Delicate lines and strong light-dark contrast give the motif spatial depth. In the angel figure, grandeur and religious devotion combine in a way characteristic of the Baroque. The sheet has a powerful presence and draws the viewer's eye into its cosmological imagery.
Technique
For the copperplate engraving, the motif is incised into a copper plate and then pulled onto paper with printing ink. Fine lines and hatching create the tonal values. Dorigny executes the details and light effects with great precision.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)