The Archangel Gabriel Awaiting Night (ca. 1799)

Technique: Giclée quality print
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"The Archangel Gabriel Awaiting Night" is a captivating watercolor painting by the talented English artist Thomas Girtin, dating back to around 1799. In this evocative artwork, Girtin renders a dramatic and somewhat ethereal depiction of the Archangel Gabriel, traditionally known for being a messenger in biblical texts.Set against a backdrop of a rugged, almost cavernous landscape, the painting portrays Gabriel seated on a rocky outcrop. His pose is one of anticipation or perhaps contemplation, as he gazes outwards, holding a spear that adds to his formidable presence. Two striking wings unfurl from his back, blending seamlessly into the rocky textures surrounding him. Their detailed and delicate rendering contrasts with the solid, earthy tones of the cliffs, highlighting the supernatural aspect of this celestial being.Above Gabriel, the sky opens up to a light-filled expanse where a bird soars freely, perhaps symbolizing the freedom and sublimity of the spiritual realms Gabriel is connected to.This painting not only showcases Girtin's skill with watercolors, particularly in capturing the subtleties of light and shadow, but also explores themes of vigilance, duty, and the divine.

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Thomas Girtin was an English watercolourist and etcher. A friend and rival of J. M. W. Turner, Girtin played a key role in establishing watercolour as a reputable art form.

Thomas Girtin was born in Southwark, London, the son of a wealthy brushmaker of Huguenot descent. His father died while Thomas was a child, and his mother then married a Mr Vaughan, a pattern-draughtsman. Girtin learnt drawing as a boy (attending classes with Thomas Malton), and was apprenticed to Edward Dayes (1763–1804), a topographical watercolourist. He is believed to have served out his seven-year term, although there are unconfirmed reports of clashes between master and apprentice, and even that Dayes had Girtin imprisoned as a refractory apprentice. Certainly Dayes did not appreciate his pupil's talent, and he was to write dismissively of Girtin after his death.