An angel directing the construction of a building 1750 - 1770

Andrea Scacciati made this print, "An angel directing the construction of a building," sometime in the 1700s. It’s a chiaroscuro woodcut, meaning it was printed with multiple blocks to achieve its tonal range. The process begins with a key block, defining the outlines of the image. Then, additional blocks are used to layer on shades of color – in this case, blues. Look closely, and you can see how the angel and figures emerge from the page, as if sculpted in relief. The artist must have been deeply engaged with the building trades; he has not only shown us a classical building under construction, but given us a kind of allegory of design labor. Even the putti at the base of the image are hard at work with a level and square. By focusing on the labor involved in both architecture and printmaking, Scacciati elevates these skills. He asks us to appreciate the craft and ingenuity that goes into creating both buildings and images. The print is not just a picture, but a celebration of human making.