Study for 'Elijah in the Wilderness' and 'Nausicaa': Female Figure, Angel, Composition

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Drawing details

Title: Study for 'Elijah in the Wilderness' and 'Nausicaa': Female Figure, Angel, Composition
Date: c.1877
Media: Black and white chalk on blue paper
Dimensions: 29.5 x 22.5 cm
Location: Leighton House Museum
Picture credit: Leighton House Museum, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Reference number: LHO/D/0589
Inscriptions: Inscribed lower centre "Elijah" in pencil. Stamped lower left "LLC" encircled, in black ink. Inscribed on reverse, centre "E 99" encircled, in pencil. Inscribed on reverse, centre "21/-" in pencil. Inscribed on reverse, centre "313" encircled, in blu

Interpretation

Leighton seemed to have been working on these two projects simultaneously. These very rough sketches may have been drawn from his imagination.

Description

Upper left of sheet: full-length study for the female figure in the painting 'Nausicaa' (c.1878, private collection). Upper centre of sheet: full-length study for the angel in the painting 'Elijah in the Wilderness' (c.1878, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool). Unlike the finished work, the angel is shown in profile, facing to the right. Upper right of sheet: full-length study for the angel in the same painting. Unlike the finished work, the angel Lower left of sheet: study for the composition of the painting 'Elijah in the Wilderness' (c.1878, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool). 

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

• Anon., 'Catalogue of Drawings by the late Lord Leighton Preserved for the Nation', Leighton House Committee, 1897, p.22 catalogue number 4 (Elijah in the Wilderness and other Subjects)
• 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 number 195c
• Gere, Charlot 

Exhibition history

• April 1897 to c.1899, 'Drawings by the late Lord Leighton Preserved for the Nation', Leighton House Museum, London, catalogue number 4 (Elijah in the Wilderness and other Subjects)
• 09 April 1900 to at least 1936, 'The Leighton House Collection' (intended to be a permanent display), Leighton House Museum, London, catalogue number 195c (exhibited in the large studio)
• 08 November 2006 to 25 February 2007, 'A Victorian Master: Drawings by Frederic, Lord Leighton', Leighton House Museum, London, ca