Currently not on view
Study for King David,
ca. 1681–89
Ciro Ferri, Italian, 1634–1689
Formerly attributed to Pompeo Batoni, Italian, 1708–1787
Formerly attributed to Pompeo Batoni, Italian, 1708–1787
x1948-605
This powerful chalk drawing is a late work by one of Pietro da Cortona’s major followers, Ciro Ferri, who spent most of his time in Rome working on decorative projects for palaces and churches. Toward the end of his career, Ferri was commissioned to design four pendentive mosaics for the vestibule of the Cappella del Coro in the south aisle of Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. At the time of his death in 1689, Ferri had delivered cartoons (now lost) for two of the mosaics—King David and Jonah and the Whale, which were executed posthumously. The only known study for King David, this drawing corresponds closely to the leonine head of the Old Testament hero, who looks heavenward while accompanied by his harp, a book, and the head of Goliath.
Information
Title
Study for King David
Dates
ca. 1681–89
Maker
Medium
Black chalk heightened with white chalk
Dimensions
21.1 x 20.5 cm (8 5/16 x 8 1/16 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Dan Fellows Platt, Class of 1895
Object Number
x1948-605
Culture
Materials
Subject
From A. M. Clark: listed as “non-autographic.” (See reference Bib. 4503);
- Felton Gibbons, Catalogue of Italian Drawings in The Art Museum, Princeton University, (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1977)., Vol. 1: p. 198, no. 637 (illustrated in Vol. 2 under the same catalog number)
-
Nicholas Turner, "Review of "catalogue of Italian drawings in the Art Museum", Princeton University by Felton Gibbons," Art bulletin 62, no. 3 (Sept., 1980), p. 486-490.
, p. 489 - Anthony M. Clark, Pompeo Batoni: a complete catalogue of his works with an introductory text, (New York: New York University Press, 1985)., p. 386
- Laura Giles, Lia Markey, Claire Van Cleave, et. al., Italian Master Drawings from the Princeton University Art Museum, (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Art Museum, 2014)., p. 44, cat. no. 17; p. 45 (illus.); p. 46 (verso illus.); p. 257-258, app. no. 86; p. 258 (illus.)
