Daniel
1781. White chalk, Red chalk on dark toned paper.Not on display
This is a preparatory drawing for the figure of the prophet Daniel in the centre-right part of the cupola fresco Regina Prophetarum, painted in 1781 and located in the right nave of the Holy Chapel of the Basilica of the Pilar in Zaragoza. The Museo Diocesano in Zaragoza keeps two preparatory sketches, one of them in grisaille. The Museo del Prado has several preparatory drawings for the fresco.
The figure is depicted naked and seated with his legs bent. His head appears in right profile, and he is leaning on his left hand with his arm bent. His right arm is sketched and stretched out. In the fresco, this figure embraces a lion with the same arm and another lion is placed in profile under the feet of the prophet. The Museo del Prado keeps the study of the lions’ heads (D000449).
Arnáez, Rocío, Catálogo de Dibujos II. Dibujos españoles siglo XVIII. A-B, Madrid, 1975, p.82
