Artwork

The Angel Orders Saint Philip to Accompany the Ethiopian Eunuch

The Angel Orders Saint Philip to Accompany the Ethiopian Eunuch is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Philip Galle. It dates from 1574 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The Angel Orders Saint Philip to Accompany the Ethiopian Eunuch is an engraving created by Philip Galle in 1574. It is a print that illustrates a biblical scene.

Subject & Meaning

The engraving depicts an angel directing the apostle Philip to approach the chariot of an Ethiopian eunuch, who is reading from scrolls. The scene is derived from a biblical narrative, capturing a moment of divine intervention.

Technique & Style

Galle employed engraving techniques, utilizing fine lines and cross-hatching to achieve shading and texture. The style is influenced by Raphael, evident in the dramatic pose of the angel and the detailed rendering of the horse's musculature.

History & Provenance

Philip Galle produced this work during his career as a printmaker and publisher in the Low Countries, a region known for circulating reproductive engravings of religious subjects in the late sixteenth century.

Artist & collection

Artist

Philip Galle

Philip (or Philips) Galle (1537 – March 1612) was a Dutch publisher, best known for publishing old master prints, which he also produced as designer and engraver. He is especially known for his reproductive engravings of paintings.