Abstinence
1781. White chalk, Black chalk on green paper.Not on display
This is a grided pencil sketch that depicts an allegorical female figure seated on a cloud, facing forwards, with her face turned to the left of the drawing. Below her, there are two child angels holding a plate. In the left corner, a child angel is depicted with a band reading the inscription: ‘NON UTOR NE ABUTAR’ (neither use nor abuse).
This is a preparatory drawing for the corresponding figure on a pendentive of the cupola in front of the Chapel of Santiago del Pilar in Zaragoza, intended for the Marian devotion Regina Virginum, painted in 1781. In addition to Abstinence (D000538), Innocence (D000542), Modesty (D000544) and Virginity (D000540) for the pendentives of the cupola, there are two other drawings intended for the cupola Regina Virginum in the Chapel of Santiago. These are Head of Saint Barbara (D000407) and Female Head (D00482), both of which are kept in the Museo del Prado.
The Museo Diocesano in Zaragoza keeps the sketch.
Arnáez, Rocío, Catálogo de Dibujos II. Dibujos españoles siglo XVIII. A-B, Madrid, 1975, p.147
