Statue, wood, of the Angel Gabriel, attributed to Nino Pisano, Italy-Pisa, ca.1350-68

This wooden Angel Gabriel stands with his left hand to his chest, holding the end of his cloak. His head, at a slight angle to his body, would have faced a pendant Virgin Mary. The original wings have been lost. Until 1939 he was displayed with the nineteenth-century replacement wings. These were removed and are now held in storage. The appearance of the original wings is unclear, as almost all similar wooden Gabriel sculptures have lost their wings. They may have been large wooden pieces resembling birds' wings, if contemporary paintings depicting are indications. The original holes for the wings are visible at the back and reveal that this Gabriel, like other contemporary wooden sculpture was hollowed out.

The sculpture has been damaged by worm and excessive restoration. Much of the original polychrome has been lost, though traces of the pattern that once covered his cloak remain in the lower folds. The right hand, raised in a blessing gesture, is a later restoration, as are parts of the right shoulder. The crown of the head, which is heavily damaged by worm and has a much broader curl pattern than the lower half, is also likely to be a later addition to the sculpture. Contaminated wood was sometimes used by forgers in order to give the appearance of age to their work. (Newbery, Bisacca and Kanter, 103).
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The angel formed part of a group representing the Annunciation, but the Virgin has been lost. The angel is stylistically related to the marble Annunciation group by Nino Pisano in Santa Caterina, Pisa, which is signed and dated 1370, but there is no authenticated work by Nino in wood.
Like other wooden statuary of its time, it would have been brightly painted with different colors and had gilded hair. Restoration in 1959 revealed traces of the original paint pattern on the robe. The pattern would have been similar to those found on textile fragments from Lucca (a major silk weaving center from the thirteenth century) held in the V&A; such as the fragment numbered T66-1910.

Historical significance: The scene of the Annunciation, when Gabriel informed the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the Christ Child, was very popular in Italy during the thirteenth century and was depicted in paint, in sculpture and in religious theatre. Wooden sculptures in particular were known to have been used in processions due to their lightness and portability.

Nino was strained by his father, Andrea Pisano, whom he succeeded as Capomaestro of the cathedral at Orvieto in 1349.

Pisa

This statue would have formed an Annunciation group with a Virgin Mary. The Gabriel is very damaged and has lost his wings, halo and original paint. Like other wooden statuary of its time, it would have been brightly painted with different colors and had gilded hair. Restoration in 1959 revealed traces of the original paint pattern on the robe. The pattern would have been similar to those found on textile fragments from Lucca (a major silk weaving center from the thirteenth century) held in the V&A; such as the fragment numbered T66-1910.

The scene of the Annunciation, when Gabriel informed the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the Christ Child, was very popular in Italy during the thirteenth century and was depicted in paint, in sculpture and in religious theatre. Wooden sculptures in particular were known to have been used in processions due to their lightness and portability.

7719:1-1861