Study of a Male Head with a Hood

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Drawing details

Title: Study of a Male Head with a Hood
Date: 1853
Media: Pencil on white paper
Dimensions: 29.1 x 22.7 cm
Location: Leighton House Museum
Picture credit: Leighton House Museum, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Reference number: LHO/D/0949
Inscriptions: Inscribed lower right "head. Savonarola / 1853." in pencil. Stamped lower left "LLC" encircled, in black ink. Inscribed on reverse of backing board, centre "550" encircled, in blue biro, crossed out in blue biro.

Interpretation

This drawing has been inscribed 'Savonarola' after Leighton's death. It does bear a striking resemblance to a portrait of c.1498 by Fra Bartolomeo (Italian painter, 1472-1517) of Girolamo Savonarola (monk of the Dominican order at Bologna, Italian religious and political reformer, 1452-1498), although the pose is very different. Leighton may have discovered a model, who has a striking resemblance to images of Savonarola, and posed him in a similar hood in order to construct his own image of the 15th century reformer.

Description

Study of a male head, facing to the left and looking up and to the left. The figure has closely cropped hair and is wearing a monk's hood. 

Provenance

Collection of Alfred Waterhouse RA (architect, 1830-1905); presented to Leighton House Museum by Waterhouse in c.1897 

Bibliography

• Anon., 'Catalogue of Drawings by the late Lord Leighton Preserved for the Nation', Leighton House Committee, 1897, catalogue number 40 "Studies of Heads"
• 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.168 catalogue number 51
• Cockerell, Samuel Pepys (Foreward), 'Catalogue 

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 51 (exhibited in the Silk Room)