Description
A study for the figure of Divine Vengeance in Prud’hon’s celebrated paintingJustice and Divine Vengeance Pursuing Crime (1808), the head of Vengeance, who pursues Crime as an agent of Justice, brilliantly reflects the artist’s stated aim for the painting: “to give a commotion to the soul.”
Although the drawing’s blue paper has faded almost completely to gray, the work’s expressive power remains intact.
Provenance
Charles-Pompée Le Boulanger de Boisfremont (died 1838) [Lugt 353]; by descent to his daughter, Mme. Power; sold, Paris, April 15-16, 1864, lot 40, to Henry Didier, Paris [according to New York 1998]; sold, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, June 15-17, 1868, lot 151. P. E. Dromont; sold, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, December 6-9, 1871, lot 819. P. Charles Sechan (died 1874), Paris, by 1874 [according to New York 1998]. Jules Pierre-Michel Dieterle (died 1889), Paris, by 1884 [according to New York 1998]; sold, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, February 24-25, 1890, lot 36, to Clerc (?). Leon Ferte (died 1939), Paris, by 1922 [according to Paris 1922]; sold, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, June 27, 1949, lot 16. Private Collection, United States [according to invoice]. Sold by Wildenstein and Company, New York, to the Art Institute, 1951.
Accession Number
76635
Medium
Black and white chalk, with stumping, and with traces of blue chalk, on blue laid paper (faded to tan)
Dimensions
50.8 × 39.9 cm (20 × 15 3/4 in.)
Classification
chalk
Credit Line
Arthur Heun Fund
