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[Study for a Saint Sebastian]
| Content Provider | Library of Congress - Photographs |
|---|---|
| Description | This drawing is a study for a Saint Sebastian, a subject that Alphonse Legros never completed as a painting. However, there is a drawing by Legros for a Saint Sebastian in Lille from about 1867 that shows a figure in the same stance with head turned to the left as in this sheet. (See Timothy Wilcox, Alphonse Legros 1837-1911, Musee des Beaux-Arts, Dijon, exh. at. 1987-1988, cat. no. 41). As noted by Wilcox, the model for the Saint Sebastian was a Piedmontese, Alessandro di Marco, who posed for Legros and other artists. A painting of di Marco is signed and dated by Legros in 1869 (formerly in the collection of Frank Bliss; see A Catalogue of the Paintings, Drawings, Etchings and Lithographs by Professor Alphonse Legros (1837-1911) From the Collection of FRANK E. BLISS, Esq. with appreciation by Charles Ricketts ...and ... by Campbell Dodgson, Grosvenor Galleries P & D Colnaghi & Co., London, May, 1922. pl. LXIV). The same di Marco posed for an etching by the artist: Study of a Man (See Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre gravé et lithographie de M. Alphonse Legros by A. P.-Malassis and A.-W. Thibaudeau 1855-1877, Paris, 1877, no. 20). Although the heads of di Marco in the painting and etching face in the opposite direction from the library's drawing, the features are similar to those in this Saint Sebastian. The serious eyes and sharp contours of the chin suggest it is probably the same model as recorded in the Lille compositional drawing. It is unusual to know the names of models who posed for drawings and paintings, but, sometimes, as here, scholars are fortunate to know who these--usually anonymous--figures were. The drawing should date from the same period as the painting of di Marco and the Saint Sebastian compositional drawing since the age of the model appears to be the same in all. There are two other drawings that may also represent the same model: a monk playing an organ (add citation) and a portrait head (both in the Victoria and Albert Museum, repr. in Gernsheim Corpus). The drawing of Saint Sebastian is characterized by a surely and rapidly drawn execution with one minor pentimento at left where Legros adjusted the figure's right arm. The right arm is not especially anatomically correct, suggesting that the artist was not after a final rendering of the figure but attempting a quick idea of the pose. Indeed, the features of the model are only indicated with quick strokes for eyes, hair, and ear, with light hatching to indicate shadow on the left side of the face. Even such a quickly executed study suggests the artist's grasp of classical technique. Legros' adherence to a visible reality earned him respect in his adopted country of England and brought many students to his classes at University College, London, where he taught as Slade Professor from 1876-1893. |
| File Format | JPG / JPEG |
| Language | English |
| Part of Series | Drawings (Master) |
| Requires | HTML5 supported browser |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Domain (in LCSH) | Sebastian,--Saint. |
| Subject Domain (in LCSH) | Nudes--1860-1870. |
| Content Type | Image |
| Resource Type | Photograph |
