print study;
drawing
- Museum number
- 1888,0503.23
- Description
-
Preliminary studies for Flaxman's illustrations to Homer's "Iliad"; The Judgement of Paris (Plate 37, "Iliad", XXIV, 30) with Discord floating over their heads, the same subject above without the figure of Discord, below a sketch of Hector placed on his funeral pyre by Priam and his sons (Plate 34, "Iliad", XXIV, 787), faint graphite sketches on right. c. 1792-1793
Pen and grey ink, over graphite
- Production date
- 1792-1793 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 263 millimetres
-
Width: 192 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- Sarah Symmons pointed to Donatello's 'Burial of Christ' relief on the so-called 'Passion' pulpit in the church of San Lorenzo, Florence, as the source for Flaxman's composition in the final engraving of the subject of 'Hector on his Funeral Pyre'. Flaxman sketched this relief whilst in Italy (V&A sketchbook); his copy, typically, reduces the scene to just the figures rendered in simple pen and ink outlines (Sarah Symmons, 'French Copies after Flaxman's Outlines', Burlington Magazine, 115 (1973) pp. 591-599).
See 1862,0308.13 for a slighter sketch of the subject of the Judgement of Paris. Both subjects engraved by Thomas Piroli and published by J Matthews, 441 Strand, January 12th, 1795. The engravings are in the department (reg.no 1973,U.1189[1-40]).
See the curatorial comment for 1888, 0503.8 for contextual information regarding Flaxman's illustrations to Homer.
- Location
- Not on display
- Associated titles
Associated Title: Iliad
- Acquisition date
- 1888
- Acquisition notes
- Probably Flaxman sale, Christie's, 10.iv.1862/part of lot 165, 15 in the lot, 'The Iliad. "First Thoughts" for the Iliad; numerous beautiful small pen studies for most of the engraved subjects, on fifteen sheets' bt £9-9-0
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1888,0503.23
