Study for an Illustration for 'A Musical Instrument': 'The Great God Pan', Composition

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Drawing details

Title: Study for an Illustration for 'A Musical Instrument': 'The Great God Pan', Composition
Date: c.1859
Media: Pencil on tracing paper
Dimensions: 18.7 x 10.9 cm
Location: Royal Academy of Arts, London
Picture credit: Royal Academy of Arts, London
Reference number: 04/1045
Inscriptions: Inscribed lower centre "No 66" in pen and ink.

Interpretation

An illustration of 'The Great God Pan' was designed for 'A Musical Instrument' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, published in the 'Cornhill Magazine' (II, July 1860). This was one of Leighton's earliest illustrations, along with 'Ariadne on Naxos', both to accompany poems by Browning.

Description

Traced study for the composition of the illustration 'The Great God Pan' for 'A Musical Instrument' (1860). 

Provenance

Bequeathed by the artist to his sisters, Mrs. Augusta Matthews (nTe Augusta Neunburg Leighton, 1835-1919) and Mrs. Alexandra Orr (nTe Alexandra Leighton, 1828-1903); presented to the Royal Academy of Arts, London by Matthews and Orr in 1896