1904.23
Allegorical Female Figure
Artist
Alexandre Cabanel
Title
Allegorical Female Figure
Creation Date
1824-1889
Century
19th century
Dimensions
21 3/16 in. x 12 1/8 in. (53.8 cm. x 30.8 cm.)
Object Type
drawing
Creation Place
Europe, France
Medium and Support
chalk on paper
Credit Line
Bequest of Miss Mary Sophia Walker
Copyright
Public Domain
Accession Number
1904.23
With this study of the allegory of Faith, Alexandre Cabanel meticulously prepared a central figure of his early masterpiece, “The Glorification of Saint Louis.” To the chalice, covered head, and solemn upward gaze of the drawing, the final painting further adds as attributes the cross and the host. Faith and an allegory of worldly powers are shown crowning Louis IX of France (1214--1270) with a laurel wreath, as he appears to representatives of his people. The “Glorification” was originally destined for the chapel of the Chateau de Vincennes, but was first presented at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1855, where it catapulted the artist to fame. Alexandre Cabanel’s work was sought-after by European and American patrons, and he received numerous prestigious awards. His students from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts exhibited in great numbers in the annual Salons, which Cabanel often helped to jury.