Design for the Altarpiece of a Virgin
1780 - 1800. Aguada gris, Black chalk on laid paper.Not on display
Representing sculptures in paintings has been a natural and common practice since ancient times. Firstly, drawings related to the creative process were part of a sculptor’s or joiner’s usual work and therefore of no particular significance: the craftsmen needed to draw elevation views to study the spaces where figures were to be displayed. These designs nevertheless have the virtue of demonstrating their makers’ mastery of the essential art of drawing, a meeting place between painting and sculpture and a starting point. Altarpiece designs vary as to how extensive they are. Some are full of painstaking details that help understand the objectives sought; others show different options or amend previous designs. The multiple combinations gave rise to an infinite variety of constructions and the different formats proposed were shared with the client. The disciplines teamed up in these designs, which illustrate the role played by sculpture depending on its place in the hierarchy of the design – that is, whether it was central to the composition, filling the artist’s whole field of view or simply an accompaniment to the painted scenes.
Arias Martínez, Manuel, Darse la mano. Escultura y color en el Siglo de Oro, Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado, 2024, p.355
