Evelyn de Morgan
Born into a landowning family, Evelyn De Morgan displayed precocious artistic ability and an early determination to become an artist. On her 17th birthday, she wrote in her diary: “Art is eternal, life is short… I have not a moment to lose.” Encouraged by her maternal uncle, the artist John Roddam Spencer Stanhope, she embarked on formative journeys to Italy, where she encountered the Renaissance masters, above all Botticelli, whose influence is evident in her works, including this painting.
De Morgan was deeply religious and interested in Spiritualism, a movement that emerged in response to the crisis of faith following the publication of Darwin’s theory of evolution. Spiritualism sought to extend evolutionary principles into the afterlife, offering “proof” of the soul’s survival. These ideas permeate many of her works, including Gloria in Excelsis, where spiritualist belief is embedded within an aesthetic of radiant beauty.
The title abbreviates Gloria in Excelsis Deo (“Glory to God in the highest”), the hymn sung by angels to herald Christ’s birth (Luke 2:14). On the surface, it refers to two angels: one sings from a scroll inscribed with the hymn, while the other plucks a harp. More profoundly, it symbolizes Christ’s role in reuniting angels and humanity, which were separated by original sin, and the hope of humanity’s ultimate place among the heavenly host.
The angels wear sumptuous robes of white, red, and gold, their wings fashioned from phoenix and peacock feathers—emblems of immortality and renewal. Above them, six-winged seraphim hover in golden clouds, representing the highest order of angels, whom the pair aspire to join. The harp signifies the harmony of heaven and earth, or the union of inner spirituality and outward form.
This painting is a part of our new Holiday season postcard set, available now in a limited quantity (so order them quickly)! :)
P.S. Apart from a spiritual aspect, many of De Morgan's works carry a message of feminism and the rejection of war. Explore the colorful art of Evelyn De Morgan!