drawing
- Museum number
- 2013,7012.1
- Description
-
The head of a bearded man (the prophet Elijah) seen from below. c.1780
Red and white chalk, on grey-brown paper
- Production date
- 1780-1781 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 318 millimetres
-
Width: 274 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- A study for the head of Elijah in Bayeu's ceiling fresco of the Virgin Mary as queen of the prophets ('Regina Prophetarum') executed for the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar in Zaragoza in 1781.
The prophets are identifiable through their attributes, in the case of Elijah he is shown beside his chariot with Daniel and his lions to his left (the oil modello for the fresco is illustrated in J. L. Morales y Marín, 'Francisco Bayeu vida y obra', Zaragoza, 1995, no. 135, colour pl. on p. 37). Other studies for the fresco, including comparable head studies identified and numbered, are in the Prado (Morales y Marín, nos. 198-205) and the Biblioteca Nacional (Head of Elisha 'Raíz de Arte V: una exposición de dibujos, 1590-1930', pp.37-37, Artur Ramon, Col·leccionisme, Barcelona 2003). A compositional drawing in pen for the dome is in the Louvre (RF 43407).
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
2013, Aug-Nov, Sydney, AGNSW, 'Renaissance to Goya'
2013-4, Dec-Mar, Santa Fe, New Mexico Museum of Modern Art, 'Renaissance to Goya'
2019 Feb-Apr, BM G90a, 'Ottley Group' (no cat.)
- Acquisition date
- 2013
- Acquisition notes
- This item has an uncertain or incomplete provenance for the years 1933-45. The British Museum welcomes information and assistance in the investigation and clarification of the provenance of all works during that era.
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 2013,7012.1
