Angel

Art Historical Context

This enchanting *Angel* from 18th-century Naples is delightful example of a Neapolitanèche figure, designed for elaborate Nativity scenes (known as *presepi*) that brought the Christmas story to vivid life. Standing just 14½ inches tall, it features a polychromed terracotta head—carefully painted clay that captures delicate facial expressions and rosy cheeks with lifelike realism—paired with wooden limbs and wings for durability and subtle movement. The lightweight body, crafted from wire wrapped in tow (a fiber like flax) and dressed in various fabrics, allowed for graceful posing amid larger...