Angel Of Death And The Sculptor Summary

The Angel of Death and the Sculptor, sculpted by Daniel Chester French, pays tribute to a fallen American sculptor, Martin Milmore, and challenges the usual representation of Death as the horrible gruesome presence that it has been represented to be ever since the Christian era. Through a combination of high-and-low relief and in-the-round sculpting, French makes you feel almost complacent in the company of death. The benevolent face on the angel of death and the intrigued look on the face of the man, who is replicated after Martin Milmore, faithfully drives home the idea of an untimely death to a well-known artist. Ultimately, what distinguishes this piece of artwork from others are “the way death is portrayed and the history behind the artistic decisions.”
Daniel Chester French was commissioned in 1889 to create a funeral memorial for the Milmore Family after the unexpected death of Martin Milmore at the age of 39 from cirrhosis of the liver. When the younger brother of Martin, Joseph Milmore, passed away he called for the creation of a monument, which was “to commemorate the life of his older brother.” During his life Joseph was a stonecutter who was first taught by his brother, which is why he
At first glance the viewer notices the stunning wings and deeply enveloping clothing that characterize the woman’s appearance. However, this is atypical of the way angels of death were envisioned by people during the time French sculpted this artwork. With The Angel of Death and the Sculptor, French challenges the depiction of the angel of death. In fact, French’s main intention was to go against the status quo and depict an angel of death that embodies peace and benevolence. In a statement made by Daniel Chester French he says, “It has always seemed to me that this was in direct opposition to the teachings of Christ which represented the next world as a vast improvement over this