Sketch of Angels

About this artwork

Research in Progress

Art Historical Context

Francis Augustus Lathrop’s “Sketch of Angels,” created around 1895, offers a glimpse into the creative process of an American artist working at the close of the nineteenth century. As a preparatory study classified among figurative works, the piece likely served as an initial exploration of ethereal forms, possibly intended for a larger mural, stained-glass design, or decorative scheme common during that era. Lathrop, active in a period when American artists increasingly blended European academic training with national themes, captured the grace and movement of angelic figures with a sensitivi...