Maerten de Vos
This expressive panel by Maerten de Vos illustrates the artist’s characteristic fusion of Italianate energy and Flemish attention to detail. De Vos was among the leading creators of altarpieces in late 16th-century Antwerp. He became a master in the Guild of Saint Luke in 1558 and likely traveled to Italy soon after, where he encountered the works of artists such as Michelangelo, Paolo Veronese, and Tintoretto. Their influence, combined with that of Netherlandish painters like Pieter Aertsen and Frans Floris, shaped his dynamic and eclectic style.
Dating from about 1570–1580, the painting is a surviving fragment from a larger altarpiece. Despite its reduced scale, it preserves the dramatic movement typical of de Vos’s monumental compositions. The archangel appears in a striking three-quarter profile, turning sharply as he draws his sword. Powerful anatomy, swirling drapery, and expansive wings reflect the artist’s engagement with Italian Mannerism, while the luminous landscape in the background—with winding waterways, clustered buildings, and distant hills—reveals his sensitivity to setting. The treatment of the feathers and the warm, silvery tones of the figure closely correspond to other works from this period.
P.S. You can find works like this among the 50 artworks collected in our Masterpieces 50 Postcards Set.
P.P.S. Take a look at some of the most beautiful depictions of angels in art!