Two sketches for compositions depicting Saint Dominic of Guzman
Second half of the XVII century. Grey-brown ink, Pencil on laid paper.Not on display
This drawing presents two sketches for two different compositions that represent two mystical subjects featuring Saint Dominic of Guzman:
1. - The composition on the left depicts the Virgin holding the Christ Child in her arms, sitting on a throne of clouds and appearing before Saint Dominic to give him the Holy Rosary. The saint, situated on the terrestrial plane, appears to be kneeling in profile. In the foreground lies a dog with a torch and an orb, both symbols of the saint and the Dominican Order.
2. - The composition sketched on the right depicts Saint Peter and Saint Paul, seated on the celestial plane. They appear to Saint Dominic of Guzman, while Saint Paul hands him his sword. As is the case in the first composition, the identifying symbols of the saint are in the foreground of this composition.
They could be sketches for the sides of an altarpiece and can likely be attributed to the Madrid school of the second half of the 17th century.
Pérez Sánchez, Alfonso E., Catálogo de Dibujos. Vol. I. Dibujos españoles siglos XV-XVII, Madrid, Museo del Prado, 1972, p.149
