Joshua, with the Sun at Upper Left

Art Historical Context

Hippolyte Flandrin, a prominent French Neoclassical painter devoted student of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, *Joshua, with the Sun Upper Left* between 1856 and 1863. This intimate drawing depicts the biblical hero Joshua, invoking the miracle from the Book of Joshua where he commands the sun to stand still during battle. Positioned with the radiant sun dramatically at the upper left, the work captures a moment of divine power and human faith, reflecting Flandrin's deep religious sensibility and his era's fascination with heroic, scriptural narratives amid France's Second Empire. Rendered in pen and brown ink overlaid with oil on thin paper—then laid down on board for stability—this 13 7/16 x 5 5/8-inch study showcases Flandrin's masterful draftsmanship. The mixed media allowed for precise lines and luminous effects, blending the spontaneity of ink sketches with the richness of oil glazes. Such techniques were common in preparatory works, highlighting the artist's meticulous process before larger commissions, like his grand church murals. Acquired through the Van Day Truex Fund and housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this piece offers a rare glimpse into Flandrin's studio practice. It underscores the 19th-century reverence for biblical epics in art, bridging Neoclassicism's clarity with emerging Romantic drama, and invites visitors to ponder the sun's symbolic role as a beacon of divine intervention.