The Flood

Michel Anguier

1648–49 · Terracotta · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Anguier, a French-born artist active in Rome from 1641-1651, worked with Bernini and Alessandro Algardi and was one of the latter's disciples picked to illustrate Old Testament scenes for the nave of San Giovanni in Laterano. This relief is a sketch-model for one of the series of thirteen stucco reliefs, intended as models for marbles but never subsequently executed, of Old and New Testament scenes. The relief, which was low-fired, has losses that were filled with daubs of plaster, some of which are now missing. The elongated, Manneristic style is in part due to the elasticity of the medium, which often led to figures becoming attenuated in model form.

Artist

Michel Anguier

Date

1648–49

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

French, modeled Italy, Rome

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Rogers Fund and Director's Discretionary Fund, 1980