Angels Adoring the The Holy Trinity 1772

Charles Nicolas Cochin II made this drawing, "Angels Adoring the Holy Trinity," in France, though the date is unknown. The image shows a classical vision of heaven with a multitude of angels surrounding God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Cochin was a central figure in the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture during the 18th century, an institution that dictated artistic taste and training. The visual codes here, with idealized bodies and a sense of hierarchical order, reflect the values of the Academy, which served the monarchy and the aristocracy. This image likely circulated as a print, reinforcing religious and social hierarchies. As historians, we can look to archival records of the Academy, religious texts, and popular imagery to better understand the social function of such artworks. They remind us that art is never neutral; it reflects and reinforces the power structures of its time.