Figures from "The Deluge" of Michelangelo
Original title: Figures from "The Deluge" of Michelangelo
kurzbeschreibung
For this sheet Alphonse Legros (1837–1911) chose a detail from Michelangelo's Flood fresco rather than the whole scene, setting it down in metalpoint at 19.9 by 25.7 cm. Where many copies after Italian masters take in the entire design, his drawing settles on a seated woman holding another figure in her lap.
Description
A woman in a headscarf sits toward the front, a second figure cradled on her lap; her gaze is calm and thoughtful. Behind her another body stays partly hidden. Delicate strokes build the forms and the texture of the garments, while the colour remains monochrome in tones of white and grey. Light falls evenly, with no hard shadows or strong contrasts, and the realistic handling keeps attention on the human figure and its movement.
Context
The French-British artist Alphonse Legros, active between 1837 and 1911, refers here to Michelangelo's Flood in the Sistine Chapel. Legros was known for drawings and prints that often turn to historical and religious subjects. Metalpoint, widespread in the Renaissance, saw a revival in the nineteenth century.
Impact
Few lines and the figure's quiet, pensive posture give the sheet an intimate, collected mood. Monochrome tones and even light produce a still, contemplative atmosphere. Stripping things back to essentials heightens the expressive force of the human figure.
Technique
The drawing is executed in metalpoint: a metal stylus is worked over a prepared surface, so that fine strokes yield precise lines and tender shading. The monochrome appearance in white and grey suits the nature of this technique.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)