Head of King Solomon (recto); Study of a boy's head and arm (verso)

Ambitious to prove himself as a history painter, Haydon painted a large "Judgment of Solomon" between 1812-14. This is one of a pair of drawings where he developed the key figure of the king, a subject he discussed in his journal on April 8, 1812: "I wish to express Solomon a fine youthful king of Israel...cllothed in gold, with a sceptre and a crimson robe, his face youthful--dignity commingled with wisdom." This image of a youthful, long-haired figure with a classical face and looking down is close to the figure in the painting (an earlier drawing presents a more mature man with dark hair). Haydon worked from models and studied Raphael's Cartoons to establish the composition that he exhibited at the Oil and Water Colour Society, Spring Gardens in 1814 (now Plymouth Museum and Art Gallery, UK).