Prophecy
1770. Oil on canvas.Not on display
This painting is one of the four tapestry cartoons – equal in size – made to go over the doors of the ‘conversation piece’ of Charles III, King of Spain, in the Royal Palace in Madrid. They depict the allegories of Prophecy (P008171), Wisdom (P008170), Abundance (P007353) and Chastity (P007354). They were commissioned in 1770 to complement the tapestry of Joseph, David and Solomon, which was also based on Castillo’s cartoons (unknown location), according to compositions by Luca Giordano, Francesco Solimena and Corrado Giaquinto. On 31 June 1770, Castillo handed over Wisdom (P008170) and Prophecy (P008171) to the Santa Bárbara Royal Tapestry Factory, and he did the same with Abundance (P007353) on 3 April 1771. On 19 July 1771, he sent a bill for Chastity (P007354). Each one of the cartoons was valued at 6,000 reales de vellón.
