Allegorical Figure of the City of Piacenza, for a Pendentive in the Chapel of Saint-Roch, Church of Saint-Sulpice, Paris (recto); Studies for the Same Figure (verso)
Medium
Graphite, heightened with white on beige paper; squared in graphite
Dimensions
Sheet: 11 13/16 x 9 1/2 in. (30 x 24.2cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, The David L. Klein Jr. Memorial Foundation Inc. Gift, 1984
Accession Number
1984.66
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the heart of Paris's grand Church of Saint-Sulpice, the Chapel of Saint-Roch features ornate pendentives—those curved triangular spaces supporting a dome—adorned with allegorical figures. This 1821 preparatory drawing by French artist Alexandre Denis Abel de Pujol captures the Allegorical Figure of the City of Piacenza on the recto, likely personified as a noble woman symbolizing the Italian city's virtues and heritage. The verso reveals thoughtful studies refining her pose and drapery, showcasing Pujol's meticulous process for monumental church decoration during France's Restoration era. ...