Heads of an Ox and Sheep
1791. White chalk, Black chalk on green paper.Not on display
This is a preparatory drawing of a head of an ox and another of a sheep for the fresco The Adoration of the Magi in the Chapel of the Royal Palace of Aranjuez. On the cupola interior, Francisco Bayeu depicted the Eternal Father on the throne surrounded by angels and seraphim. On the side walls, the Adoration of the Shepherds is depicted. Saint Luke appears on the right. The Adoration of the Magi and Saint Matthew are depicted on the frontispiece and two groups of angels appear on a painting over the door. On the walls on either side of the small window, the artist depicted The Visitation and the Flight into Egypt. Finally, on the cupola interior located in the small room where the altar is situated, he depicted the Holy Spirit surrounded by angels between Saint John the Evangelist and Solomon. The Museo del Prado keeps several related preparatory drawings. This drawing includes the study of two animal heads: on the right, the sheep’s head is depicted from the front and on the left, the ox’s head in right profile. The study of both is very thorough.
Arnáez, Rocío, Catálogo de Dibujos II. Dibujos españoles siglo XVIII. A-B, Madrid, 1975, p.105
