Study for 'Elijah in the Wilderness': Elijah

• enlarge drawing

Drawing details

Title: Study for 'Elijah in the Wilderness': Elijah
Date: c.1877
Media: Black and white chalk on blue paper
Dimensions: 22.4 x 28.3 cm
Location: Leighton House Museum
Picture credit: Leighton House Museum, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Reference number: LHO/D/0588
Inscriptions: Stamped lower left "LLC" encircled, in black ink. Inscribed lower right "Elijah" in pencil, very faint. Inscribed on reverse, centre "2P.255" in pencil.

Interpretation

The pose of the nude figure of Elijah with his arms stretched over his head is reminiscent of the sculpture of the 'Dying Slave' by Michelangelo Buonarroti (Italian painter, 1475-1564) in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Description

 

Provenance

Bequeathed by the artist to his sisters, Mrs. Augusta Matthews (n+e Augusta Neunburg Leighton, 1835-1919) and Mrs. Alexandra Orr (n+e Alexandra Leighton, 1828-1903); purchased by the Fine Art Society in 1896; collection of Leighton House Museum 

Bibliography

• Barrington, Mrs. Emilie Isabel, 'Catalogue: Lord Leighton's House and What it Contains', 1900, reprinted as part of 'A Collection of Essays on Lord Leighton and his Works with Illustrated Catalogue of the Contents of Leighton House', privately published, London, 1900-01, p.182 catalogue 195b
• Barrington, Mrs. Russell, 'The Life, Letters and Work of Frederic, Lord Leighton', George Allen, London, 1906, volume II, illustrated opposite p.255
• Jones, Stephen, et al., 'Frederic Leighton (1830-1896)', 

Exhibition history

• 09 April 1900 to at least 1936, 'The Leighton House Collection' (intended to be a permanent display), Leighton House Museum, London, catalogue number 195b (exhibited in the large studio)