Michael Garland: Christmas Midnight Angel

Artist: Michael Garland
1952 -
Nationality: American
Artwork Year: 1995
Image Size: 12 by 13.75 inches
Overall Size: 15 by 20 inches
Medium: Acrylic on Cold Press Illustration Board

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." In the Old and New Testaments, angels are messengers of God. Although genderless in the scriptures, angels are often portrayed with long flowing robes and "feminine" features. According to one classicist, Gilbert Highet, the image of the angel is a combination of Jewish mysticism and Greek imagery. The Jews thought that God was free of all human form and so he used messengers, angels, who were human in appearance to deliver His word. Greek artists and poets, on the other hand, did not think of the divine as formless, because it was artistically difficult to represent a nondescript being. Instead, God was the perfect man or woman in form and shape, and had superhuman powers. Because the angels of God traveled between heaven and earth, they therefore needed wings for a swift and graceful flight. Belief in angels is a matter of individual faith in many religions of the world. However the Roman Catholic church states that angels were created in a realm above man but below God. The biblical Christmas story depicts one of the most impressive roles of these heavenly beings. The angel Gabriel told Mary she was to bring forth a son and call him Jesus. After Christ's birth, an angel brought the good news to shepherds in nearby fields.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood® First Day Cover for the U.S. 32¢ Midnight Angel stamp issued October 19, 1995.

Artwork Copyright © 1995 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): XB15061

US$ Price: $2,000.00

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