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Mighty mover angel

William talks about the angels in Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's Miracle of the Holy House of Loreto, c. 1744. This is from an imaginative tour at the Getty Center: The Supernatural in Art.. Created by Getty Museum.

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Video transcript

(wings flapping) - [Voiceover] Hello, my name is William. This is a study for a chapel ceiling that was destroyed during World War One, so this is all we have. (horn music) (harp music) Tiepolo made this painted sketch of me and my fellow angels performing this miracle, which according to tradition, happened in the 13th century. That's me in front, to your left. (bugle calls) We are flying the Virgin Mary's house from Nazareth, where she received the archangel Gabriel's visit, to the Italian town of Loreto. Even Virgin Atlantic doesn't travel this route. (plane roars) - [Voiceover] The house itself is very drab, doesn't look like much. However, I love how everything complements each other. The angels transporting a house in one bit. Sinners below are in one bit. The heavens are in one bit, and the triumphant angels are in one bit. (harp music) - [Voiceover] William here likes to describe this painting as if it's a still frame from a movie. - [Voiceover] And action. (movie reel clicks) (dramatic orchestral music) - [Voiceover] One of the sinners is trying to reach up for forgiveness. Angels above look like, "Okay! "Good job guys!" Sort of like they're not really paying attention, whereas the bugle angels look like they're trying to direct. Although the study's very crude, this actually feels like it has life to it. This seems like someone just slipped up and took a picture. All the other angels in the collection just look like, "All right, you go over there, hold three eight. "Good, hold that."