Bust of an angel
Filippino Lippi·1494
Historical Context
Filippino Lippi painted this bust of an angel around 1494, likely a fragment or study from a larger composition. Filippino's angels are among the most expressive in Florentine painting, reflecting his nervous, energetic artistic temperament. By the 1490s, Filippino was one of Florence's leading painters, working on major commissions including the Strozzi Chapel frescoes. Filippino Lippi was the son of the painter Filippo Lippi and the ward of Botticelli after his father's death, absorbing both influences before developing a highly personal late style notable for its archaeological classicism, nervous energy, and proto-mannerist intensity.
Technical Analysis
Tempera on panel with Filippino's characteristic restless energy and refined drawing. The angel's features show the expressive, somewhat mannered quality that defines his late style.
