Artwork
The Guardian Angel
The Guardian Angel is an ink print by the Baroque artist Simone Cantarini. It dates from 1600 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Simone Cantarini, also known as Simone da Pesaro, produced the etching *The Guardian Angel* circa 1600. Executed as a small‑scale print, it portrays a sleeping infant in a wooden crib attended by a winged angel. The work exemplifies the religious genre scenes that dominate Cantarini’s output during the early seventeenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a newborn child lying peacefully while a celestial guardian leans forward, hand resting on the infant’s chest. The gentle illumination on the angel’s face and exposed shoulder suggests a protective, tender presence, echoing contemporary theological ideas of divine guardianship over the vulnerable.
Technique & Style
Cantarini combined two printmaking methods in a single plate. The angel’s flowing robe is rendered with delicate etched lines, while the surrounding shadows and the crib’s interior are produced by dry‑point, giving those areas a dense, velvety darkness and a characteristic grainy texture. This dual approach creates a subtle contrast between light and shade.
History & Provenance
Although the artist’s birth is recorded as 1612, the print dates to around 1600, placing it among his earliest known works. *The Guardian Angel* entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, where it remains on view, allowing visitors to observe the dry‑point texture firsthand.
Artist & collection
Artist
Simone Cantarini or Simone da Pesaro, called il Pesarese (Baptized on 21 August 1612 – 15 October 1648) was an Italian painter and etcher.
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