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Lot Essay
FIRST IDENTIFIED BEFORE THE 1990 SALE, THIS IS CONNECTED TO THE FIGURE OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL IN THE DOME OF THE CATHEDRAL AT CENTO, P. BAGNI, GUERCINO A PIACENZA, BOLOGNA, 1983, NO. 25.
GUERCINO RECEIVED THE COMMISSION IN 1626 AFTER THE DEATH OF MORAZZONE, WHO HAD BEGUN THE CYCLE THE YEAR BEFORE. THE SCHEME DIVIDED THE CUPOLA IN EIGHT COMPARTMENTS, EACH OF THEM WITH A PROPHET OVER A PUTTO HOLDING A FLAG. MORAZZONE HAD ALREADY PAINTED TWO OF THE EIGHT COMPARTMENTS OF THE CUPOLA WHEN GUERCINO TOOK OVER. BETWEEN MAY 1626 AND NOVEMBER 1627 GUERCINO FINISHED THE CUPOLA, PAINTING FOUR SCENES OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST AND EIGHT SIBYLS FLANKING THE WINDOWS.
GUERCINO PREPARED FOR THE CYCLE WITH NUMEROUS DRAWINGS, LISTED BY PRISCO BAGNI, OP. CIT., NOS. 17-35. THE FIRST STAGE IN THE PRESENTATION OF THE FIGURE WAS A FREE SKETCH IN PEN AND INK, USUALLY WITHOUT WASH. THE SKETCH OF EZEKIEL IS IN THE BRERA, MILAN, P. BAGNI, OP. CIT., NO. 26.
THE DRAPERIES WERE THEN STUDIED INDIVIDUALLY IN CHALK: EXAMPLES ARE IN THE KOENIG-FACHSENFELD COLLECTION, STUTTGART. THE PRESENT DRAWING PROBABLY REPRESENTS A LATE STAGE, THE STUDY OF THE FULL FIGURE ON A LARGE SHEET OF PAPER WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON THE DRAPERY. A STUDY FOR THE PROPHET JEREMIAH WITH THE SAME PROVENANCE AS THE PRESENT DRAWING, WAS OFFERED AT CHRISTIE'S, 7 JULY 1992, LOT 171. AFTER THAT GUERCINO ONLY MADE A FEW CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION: THE PUTTO SUPPORTING THE TABLET, FOR INSTANCE, IS NOT REPRESENTED IN THE CUPOLA.
GUERCINO RECEIVED THE COMMISSION IN 1626 AFTER THE DEATH OF MORAZZONE, WHO HAD BEGUN THE CYCLE THE YEAR BEFORE. THE SCHEME DIVIDED THE CUPOLA IN EIGHT COMPARTMENTS, EACH OF THEM WITH A PROPHET OVER A PUTTO HOLDING A FLAG. MORAZZONE HAD ALREADY PAINTED TWO OF THE EIGHT COMPARTMENTS OF THE CUPOLA WHEN GUERCINO TOOK OVER. BETWEEN MAY 1626 AND NOVEMBER 1627 GUERCINO FINISHED THE CUPOLA, PAINTING FOUR SCENES OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST AND EIGHT SIBYLS FLANKING THE WINDOWS.
GUERCINO PREPARED FOR THE CYCLE WITH NUMEROUS DRAWINGS, LISTED BY PRISCO BAGNI, OP. CIT., NOS. 17-35. THE FIRST STAGE IN THE PRESENTATION OF THE FIGURE WAS A FREE SKETCH IN PEN AND INK, USUALLY WITHOUT WASH. THE SKETCH OF EZEKIEL IS IN THE BRERA, MILAN, P. BAGNI, OP. CIT., NO. 26.
THE DRAPERIES WERE THEN STUDIED INDIVIDUALLY IN CHALK: EXAMPLES ARE IN THE KOENIG-FACHSENFELD COLLECTION, STUTTGART. THE PRESENT DRAWING PROBABLY REPRESENTS A LATE STAGE, THE STUDY OF THE FULL FIGURE ON A LARGE SHEET OF PAPER WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON THE DRAPERY. A STUDY FOR THE PROPHET JEREMIAH WITH THE SAME PROVENANCE AS THE PRESENT DRAWING, WAS OFFERED AT CHRISTIE'S, 7 JULY 1992, LOT 171. AFTER THAT GUERCINO ONLY MADE A FEW CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION: THE PUTTO SUPPORTING THE TABLET, FOR INSTANCE, IS NOT REPRESENTED IN THE CUPOLA.