The Fallen Angels, or The Rebel Angels
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About this Brooklyn Icon
The Brooklyn Museum is commemorating its 200th anniversary by spotlighting 200 standout objects in its encyclopedic collection.
This striking sculpture was one of the first European artworks to enter the collection of the newly opened Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, now known as the Brooklyn Museum; the Brooklyn Daily Eagle declared it to be the artist’s masterpiece. Salvatore Albano based the composition of The Fallen Angels on a passage from the book of Revelation that describes how the archangel Michael cast a group of rebellious angels, including Satan, out of heaven. Albano stages a dynamic moment in this apocalyptic battle between good and evil, a fundamental clash heightened by the juxtaposition of white marble and dark bronze. The winged angels—their tangled, tense limbs and tormented faces—introduce an erotic element, often associated with the highly polished style for which academically trained European artists like Albano were known.
Caption
Salvatore Albano Italian, 1841–1893. The Fallen Angels, or The Rebel Angels, 1893 (marble); 1883 (base). Marble, dark stone, bronze, Base from floor to top of upper plate: 40 x 57 1/2 x 57 1/2 in. (101.6 x 146.1 x 146.1 cm) Marble group at top: 61 x 58 in. (154.9 x 147.3 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of A. Augustus Healy, 97.35. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 97.35_PS2.jpg)
Tags
Collection
Collection
Artist
Title
The Fallen Angels, or The Rebel Angels
Date
1893 (marble); 1883 (base)
Geography
Place made: Italy
Medium
Marble, dark stone, bronze
Classification
Dimensions
Base from floor to top of upper plate: 40 x 57 1/2 x 57 1/2 in. (101.6 x 146.1 x 146.1 cm) Marble group at top: 61 x 58 in. (154.9 x 147.3 cm)
Inscriptions
Base of marble incised: "S. Albano f./Firenze 1893" Bronze base incised: "Salv Albano/1883"
Credit Line
Gift of A. Augustus Healy
Accession Number
97.35
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
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Frequent Art Questions
This is very dramatic, what is happening?
It depicts "The Fallen Angels." In the Bible, fallen angels are those who rebelled against God along with Lucifer, an archangel who became the Devil. The dark base, where the snake slithers over a body, is probably the depiction of hell, and the figure down there could be Lucifer himself. The expressions on their faces are remarkable. There are so many different emotions carved into the marble. One figure is biting his knuckle in anguish or torment!Wow!
The Fallen Angels is such a dramatic work! I encourage you to get as close as you can and look at how the artist, Salvatore Albano, handles flesh. He makes it seem so soft and realistic for being carved out of stone. This is a technical masterpiece of carving stressing how the figure can be seen in the round from all angles.Who is this?
This work by Salvatore Albano depicts "The Fallen Angels" who, according to the Bible, were the angels who rebelled against God along with Lucifer, who became the Devil.I see, thanks, now I can relate to this work.You're welcome! Are you familiar with that Biblical story, is that what made it easier to relate to?Yes, I am. Is that main one Lucifer?Well it's possible the main figure, whom you sent the photo of, could be Lucifer himself, but that is just speculation. He does look very angry and determined though, I think.Beautiful work, truly inspired.I agree, I also love the contrast between the white marble of the sculpture and the dark stone of the base.Yes!What was the purpose of the sculpture? Was is for a church?
This work is 'Fallen Angels' by Salvatore Albano, a 19th century Italian sculptor who owned a major sculpture studio in Florence. While the topic is a religious one - it depicts the fallen angels who, according to the Bible, have rebelled against God - it was likely made for a private owner's enjoyment. Many of Albano's pieces were, in fact, made for American tourists!¿Qué información me puedes dar de esta escultura?
Este escultura de Salvatore Albano cuenta una historia de la Biblia sobre el apocalipsis. Describa una guerra en el cielo entre los angeles buenas dirigidos por Michael y los rebeldes dirigidos por el satan.Preciosa explicación, gracias.Was the top always white or was it ever painted?
The top was always white marble. I've always viewed the contrast between the dark base and the light top to be a comment on the differences between heaven and hell. This statue was created in the 19th century when white marble was the ideal.Interesting. Thank you!Did it take 10 years to create the white marble or was that part an afterthought?
I'm not sure why the two pieces were sculpted a decade apart. I do know that Albano would have created both parts in other materials, like plaster before creating the final forms in marble.I don't get the impression that the top took ten years, but rather that he stopped working on this piece and then returned to it. It is clear that the base was always meant to have a top.Very thorough, thank you.Who are the angels pictured in “The Fallen Angels?"
The “fallen” or “rebel” angels are those that waged war on God in Heaven. In the end they were cast out and their leader, Lucifer, went on to become the Devil.
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