'Study for 'A Boy Saving a Baby from the Clutches of an Eagle': Composition, Head of Eagle

• enlarge drawing

Drawing details

Title: 'Study for 'A Boy Saving a Baby from the Clutches of an Eagle': Composition, Head of Eagle
Date: c.1850
Media: Drawing, pencil and watercolour on white paper
Dimensions: 16.5 x 17.5 cm
Location: Leighton House Museum
Picture credit: Leighton House Museum, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Reference number: LHO/D/0456
Inscriptions: Inscribed lower left "Early design" in pencil. Inscribed lower right "blue yellow" in pencil, in the artist's hand. Inscribed lower right "yellow / blue" in pencil, in the artist's hand. Inscribed on reverse, lower left "G.99" in pencil. Inscribed on

Interpretation

Leighton was committed to ensuring his representations of plants and animals were as accurate as possible. His studies from nature often include detailed notes on the form and colour of each section. Here, Leighton has labelled a light pencil sketch of the head of the eagle, seen at the bottom right of the sheet, with the colours of the beak, head and eyes. "In a small sketch in water-colour..."

Description

Study for the composition of the painting 'A Boy Saving a Baby from the Clutches of an Eagle' (c.1850-52, Leighton House Museum). Lower right of sheet: study of the head of the eagle in the painting. There are watercolour brush marks on the otherwise blank paper either side of the composition. The drawing is squared up. 

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 (Fine Art Society reference number G99); purchased from the Fine Art Society by Mrs. Emilie Isabel (Russell) Barrington (author and painter, 1844-1933) for ú2:2:0; presented to Leighton House Museum by Barrington in c.1897 

Bibliography

• Anon., 'Catalogue of Drawings by the late Lord Leighton Preserved for the Nation', Leighton House Committee, 1897, catalogue number 16 'Studies for designs (early and later)'
• Ormond, Leon+e and Richard, 'Lord Leighton', Yale University Press, London, 1975, p.149 (listed under catalogue number 6) 

Exhibition history

• 19 September 2005 to 09 December 2005, 'The Leighton Drawings Project: A Preview', Leighton House Museum, London