Sketch of Kneeling Angel

Francis Augustus Lathrop's rapid pen sketch captures a winged figure in devotional pose, rendered with the loose, gestural hatching that defined fin-de-siècle draftsmanship. The drawing demonstrates the artist's command of human anatomy and drapery, with diagonal shading creating volume and movement. Lathrop, a prominent American designer and illustrator, worked across multiple media including stained glass, murals, and book illustration. This study reflects the period's interest in allegorical and religious imagery, executed with the spontaneity characteristic of working sketches that preceded finished compositions. The piece exemplifies late-nineteenth-century academic practice, where such preliminary drawings formed the foundation for larger decorative and illustrative projects.