How to Draw Angels, part II
In part II I described how angels should generally be depicted in religious art. Angels are not humans and humans do not become angels. Artists, therefore, should be careful not to depict angels as too human-like or they run the risk of sending a faulty theological message. Particularly in art that is meant to convey a religious truth, angels should not be depicted as male or female.
There are of course exceptions to this, most notably when illustrating or referencing a biblical passage.
It occasionally serves God's purpose to have angels appear to us as human. These occasions are found in scripture. There are many references to angels in the Bible, but God's inspired Word has revealed to us the names of only three; Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. These archangels are most commonly depicted by artists as male because scripture defines them that way either explicitly or by implication.
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| ©Lawrence Klimecki |
Michael appears in the Book of Daniel, Judith, and Revelation. In Daniel, Michael is referred to as "Sar" or prince, a masculine noun. In the Book of the Revelation of St. John, the army of angels led by Michael is referred to as "his (autos)" angels. Artists therefore have traditionally depicted this prince of the heavenly host as male.
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| © Lawrence Klimecki |
Gabriel also appears in the Book of Daniel as well as the Gospel according to Luke. Only four verses in the bible specifically refer to this archangel and of the four only one makes a reference to his appearance as a man.
"While I was speaking in prayer, the man (iysh) Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice." Daniel 9:21.
The masculine noun "iysh" is used to distinguish the person referred to as male. This single reference is all the encouragement generations of artists have needed to depict Gabriel with masculine qualities.
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| ©Lawrence Klimecki |
References to Raphael come entirely from the Book of Tobit, in which he plays a major role. In Chapter 5, verses 4-5, Tobias "went to look for a man; and he found Raphael, who was an angel, but Tobias did not know it." Again we have specific citations from scripture describing an angel appearing as a man.
It is an important distinction that though angels have appeared as men they are still spirits and therefore genderless. They may appear to us as humans according to the will of God but they remain non-human spirits. However in depicting one of the three archangels mentioned above artists have traditionally taken their cue from scripture and depicted them as male.
So there are times, depending on circumstances and context, when angels may be depicted as men.
Are there times when men may be depicted as angels? That's part IV.
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