An Angel Holding a Carafe on a Plate 1780 - 1849

This drawing of an angel holding a carafe on a plate was made by David-Pierre Giottino Humbert de Superville, likely in the late 18th or early 19th century. It is rendered in delicate lines of brown ink on paper. Looking closely, you can see how the artist built up the image through careful cross-hatching, giving form to the angel's drapery and wings. The choice of ink on paper is significant. It is an accessible, portable medium, ideally suited to preparatory sketches or intimate works. In Humbert de Superville's time, drawing was central to artistic training and intellectual exploration. This work embodies a moment of creative contemplation, elevating the simple materials to convey a sense of ethereal grace. It blurs boundaries between studies and finished pieces, demonstrating the rich potential of so-called 'humble' artistic practices.