Artwork

A Flying Angel (recto); Studies of Hands Playing Instruments (verso)

A Flying Angel (recto); Studies of Hands Playing Instruments (verso) is a drawing by the Baroque artist Giovanni Battista Piazzetta. It dates from 1725 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

This preparatory drawing by Giovanni Battista Piazzetta was created for the monumental ceiling fresco depicting the Glory of St.

This preparatory drawing by Giovanni Battista Piazzetta was created for the monumental ceiling fresco depicting the Glory of St. Dominic in the church of SS. Giovanni e Paolo, Venice. Executed on a single sheet, the recto shows a soaring angel intended to bear the saint aloft, while the verso contains brief studies of hands manipulating musical instruments. The work offers a rare glimpse into Piazzetta’s planning process for one of his most significant religious commissions.

Subject & Meaning

The angel on the front side is portrayed in a dynamic, twisting ascent, suggesting a turbulent ascent rather than the serene, cloud‑borne figures typical of Venetian ceiling decoration. By positioning the figure amid a storm‑like vortex, Piazzetta emphasizes the dramatic transition of St. Dominic from earth to heaven, underscoring the saint’s spiritual triumph and the celestial power that lifts him.

Technique & Style

Piazzetta employed swift, gestural lines to resolve the figure’s complex pose, accentuating the folds of drapery with bold strokes that would remain legible from a distance. The drawing likely served as a study of light and shadow, perhaps using suspended wax or clay models to capture the di sotto in su perspective. The verso sketches of instrumental hands are rendered with the same rapid, exploratory quality, indicating a focus on movement and gesture.

History & Provenance

The sheet is one of the few surviving preparatory studies by Piazzetta, linking directly to his ceiling painting completed in the early 18th century. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection in the mid‑20th century, where it has been recognized for its documentary value in understanding the artist’s method and the broader shift away from conventional Venetian iconography in large‑scale ecclesiastical projects.

Artist & collection

Artist

Giovanni Battista Piazzetta

Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (also called Giambattista Piazzetta or Giambattista Valentino Piazzetta) (February 13, 1682 or 1683 – April 28, 1754) was an Italian Rococo painter of religious subjects and genre scenes.