Figures before an Altar
n.d.
Medium
Red chalk
Dimensions
8 1/4 x 5 7/8 in. (20.9 x 15 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1967
Accession Number
67.100.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Figures before an Altar by Bernard Picart (3–1733) is a captivating red drawing from the early th century, now in Metropolitan Museum of Art's and Prints collection (Rogers, 1967). Measuring just8¼ × 5⅞ inches, this intimate work showcases Picart's mastery as French engraver and draughtsman, renowned for his meticulous illustrations of religious ceremonies worldwide, particularly in his landmark *Cérémonies coutumes religieuses de les peuples du monde*. scene depicts a group of men and women gathered solemnly before an altar, their postures suggesting reverence or ritual observance. Red ch...
About the Artist
Bernard Picart · 1673–1733
Comment on works: Printmaker