Angelology

Angels often capture the public’s imagination. Back in the 1980s, as part of the New Age Movement, there was a resurgence in ‘angel awareness’ and angelology. ‘A Book of Angels’, published in 1990 by Sophy Burnham, became a bestseller, and Time magazine devoted a cover story to angels in December 1993 which suggested that 69 percent of Americans believed in the existence of angels.

One of the most interesting and important works in The Frick Collection is Barbet’s ‘Angel’ from 1475 and it is the work discussed by curator Xavier Salomon in this week’s ‘Cocktails with a Curator’ – which can be enjoyed with an Angel Face drink (equal parts dry gin, apricot brandy and calvados, with a slice of apple) at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh7HuYX22iw&list=PLNVeJpU2DHHR_0y_Zvgn3MgZQQFcFx2eI&index=2&t=0s

Angels are spirits created by God before he created man. They stand between God and man as Psalm 8:5 says: ‘For thou [God] hast made him [man] a little lower than the angels …’ As such, they are God’s attendants in Heaven’.

In Christianity, angels are agents of God based on angels in Judaism. According to medieval Christian theologians, angels are organized into several orders or ‘Angelic Choirs’. Thomas Aquinas and Pseudo-Dionysius drew on passages from the New Testament to develop a schema of three Hierarchies or Spheres with each Hierarchy containing three Orders.

The first Sphere of angels are the heavenly servants of God. This includes the Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones. Seraphim meaning ‘burning ones’ are fiery six-winged beings who chant praises and serve as the caretakers of God’s throne. Cherubim have four faces – a man, an ox, a lion and an eagle (later adopted as the symbols of the four evangelists), four conjoined wings, a lion’s body and the feet of oxen. They guard the way to the ‘tree of life’ in the Garden of Eden.  The Thrones, often associated with the Ophanim of Judaism and depicted as wheels, are living symbols of God’s justice and authority, and guard God’s throne.

The second Sphere work as the heavenly governors of the creation and include the Dominions who regulate angelic duties; the Virtues through which miracles and signs are made in the world; and the Powers who supervise the movements of heavenly bodies to ensure the order of the cosmos.

The third Sphere function as heavenly guides, protectors and messengers to humans. This group includes the Prinicipalities who have an administrative role; the Archangels who are guardians of nations and countries; and the general Angels or ‘malakhim’ who are messengers concerned with the affairs of humans.

The number of angels has been constantly debated. For example, in Christianity, four Archangels are usually mentioned – Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel – but in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition there are seven, and in the Jewish Kabbalah there are ten.  And, in Islam, each of us is said to have two guardian Angels – one to walk in front and the other to walk behind – ensuring maximum protection. Many will also be familiar with the medieval discussion about the number of angels that could dance on the head of a pin – the reductio ad absurdum challenge to medieval scholasticism.

Angels have appeared in art from the early days of Christianity with the earliest examples seen in the Catacomb of Priscilla dating back to the middle of the 3^rd century. Defined as ‘pure spirits’ this lack of structured definition has allowed artists a great deal of creativity in their depiction. Although considered genderless, the Book of Daniel in chapter 8 verse 15 describes Gabriel as appearing ‘there before me stool one who looked like a man’. The depiction of angels with wings was explained by Saint John Chrysostom in the 4^th century as due to having to ‘leave the heights and the most elevated dwelling to approach human nature … the wings attributed to these powers [and] have no other meaning than to indicate the sublimity of their nature’.

In Christian art, angels appear in many scenes. They are a common presence in depictions of the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Adoration, the Flight into Egypt, the Crucifixion, the crowing of the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven, the Assumption of the Virgin and in scenes depicting the Apocalypse. Angels are also seen offering advice, admonishing people or in their role as protectors.

Three of the Archangels are commonly shown in particular roles. Michael is often a warrior and can be seen triumphing over a dragon or Satan or, in his other role, weighing souls for heaven (as seen above). Gabriel is a messenger who is most commonly portrayed in pictures of the ‘Annunciation’ – announcing to Mary that she will give birth to the Christ child. And, Raphael is featured as a helper to Tobias in his journey to aid his father.

Curiously, of all the images that feature angels in the NGV collection, some of the most common involve the story of Tobias and Raphael. The story comes from the Book of Tobit which, while an Ecclesiastical text, is not considered Canonical and accordingly not part of the Bible.

The story goes: Tobit was a righteous Israelite living in Nineveh in the 8^th BCE who is particularly diligent in providing proper burials for slain Israelites. This causes conflict with the authorities especially after he buries a man who has been murdered. Falling asleep after this burial he is blinded by a bird and his blindness creates marital and financial problems to the point where Tobit prays for death.

His son, Tobias, decides to help his father by collecting money owed in the distant city of Media. After setting out, Tobias meets Raphael in the guise of Tobit’s kinsman, Azariah, who offers to protect him. Along the way, while traversing the river Tigris, a fish tries to swallow Tobias’ foot. Raphael instructs Tobias to capture the fish and remove its heart, liver and gall bladder and retain them.

On arrival in Media, Tobias meets Sarah, his cousin and closest relative, who he has the right to marry. Unfortunately, Sarah’s life has been overtaken by the demon of lust, Asmodeus, who abducts and kills any man who attempts to wed Sarah. Raphael instructs Tobias to burn the fish’s liver and heart to drive away the demon when he attacks on the wedding night. When Sarah and Tobias marry, the fumes of the burning organs take effect and the demon is vanquished.

Raphael recovers Tobit’s money and when the three journey back to Nineveh, the angel instructs the youth on how to use the fish’s gall to cure his father’s blindness. Raphael then reveals his identity and returns to heaven while Tobit sings a song of praise.

The story became a favourite theme for artists due to its teaching on the intercession of angels, filial piety, and reverence for the dead. In his discussion of Barbet’s Angel, Xavier Salomon from The Frick Collection acknowledges the ‘angels of the COVID-19 crisis’ – the helping professions today. As we ‘acclimatise’ to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the themes in the story of Tobias are remarkably relevant.