'Understood in its metaphysical sense,
Beauty is one of the manifestations of the Absolute Being.
Emanating from the harmonious rays of the Divine plan,
it crosses the intellectual plane to shine once again across
the natural plane, where it darkens into matter.'

-Jean Delville 1899

An angel is a messenger of the Divine, and an archangel is a messenger of only the most important messages. Angels, like demons, are spirits, not of flesh. One serves the Light and one serves in the Pit.

Who is the Archangel Gabriel?

Messenger of God. One of the three angels mentioned by name in the Bible. Appeared to the prophet Daniel to explain the prophet's visions relating to the Messiah. (Daniel 8:16-26; 9:21) Appeared to Zachary in the temple to announce the coming of Zachary's son, John the Baptist, and to strike Zachary mute for his disbelief. (Luke 1:11-20) Appeared to Mary to let her know she'd been selected to bear the Saviour. (Luke 1:25-38)

From the Patron Saints Index

The Jews venerated Gabriel as the angel of judgment, and in both Jewish and Christian tradition he is one of the seven archangels. Gabriel is also known to Moslems, who believe him to be the angel who served as the mouthpiece of God in dictating the Koran to Mohammed.

From the Catholic Pages.com

What are Angels?

Angels are purely spiritual creatures, they do not have bodies, and are not constrained by bodies as we are. They are personal and immortal, just as we are. They have intellects and free will, just as we do. Because an angel's mind does not depend on a body, an angel cannot forget or get confused and his will is much stronger than ours.

From the Catholic Pages.com

Art on this page is Archangel by Jean Delville, and The Guardian of Paradise by Franz von Stuck, both symbolists. Also what is probably a mortuary statue of an angel, unknown source.