San Giobbe Altarpiece - detail of Music Making Angels 1480

This detail from Giovanni Bellini's "San Giobbe Altarpiece" (1480) showcases the artist's masterful depiction of musical angels. Three angelic figures, with delicate features and flowing hair, are engaged in musical performance. The central angel plays a lute, while the angel on the left holds a violin. The angel on the right plays a mandolin. The realistic detail of the instruments and the graceful poses of the angels highlight Bellini's keen observation of both human form and musical practice. This section of the altarpiece, now located in the Galleria dell'Accademia in Venice, exemplifies the Renaissance focus on humanism and the celebration of the arts.