Study for a Seated Prelate (Saint Gregory the Great)
The Metropolitan Museum possesses two designs for the whole composition (inv. nos. 63.18 and 62.137), while a third one, made in pen and ink over red chalk, is in the Museum Kunst Palast, Düsseldorf (inv. FP 1131; see Sonja Brink et al., ‘Auf Papier,’ 2009, no. 94). As proven by the first Museum's study (inv. 63.18) and a further drawing in Windsor Castle (Royal Library inv. RL 4096) – most likely the first ones of the series - the figure of Saint Gregory the Great was initially intended by Maratti to appear on the left of the composition, and it was later moved to the center-right.
Following these changes, Maratti first studied the position of the seated Gregory on a pen-and-ink drawing in Düsseldorf (inv. FP 540), where the Saint is still seen on the right of the composition. In the present drawing the figure corresponds closely to the painted result on the altarpiece in Santa Maria del Popolo. Once the position of the figure was established, Maratti focused his attention on some details, like the expression of the face and his draperies: three chalk drawings for Saint Gregory have survived, all drawn on a paper support of a similar blue-gray hue. Two intended for the head of the Saint are respectively in the British Museum (inv. 1927,0518.6; Turner 1999, no. 191 ) and in the Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid (no. 7970), while a sheet of studies for the Saint's draperies is in the Fondazione Cini, Venice (inv. 36137, formerly attributed to Giacomo Cavedone; see Turner 1999). According to Nicholas Turner, a further, highly finished drapery study with the upper part of an ecclesiastic, apparently seated at a table, in the Museum Kunst Palast, Düsseldorf (inv. no. FP 13105; Harris and Schaar, 1967, no. 522) could be connected with the same commission. (see here "References" for full bibliography.)
Furio Rinaldi (2014)
Artwork Details
- Title: Study for a Seated Prelate (Saint Gregory the Great)
- Artist: Carlo Maratti (Italian, Camerano 1625–1713 Rome)
- Date: 1685–86
- Medium: Black chalk, highlighted with white chalk, on blue-gray paper
- Dimensions: 15-3/8 x 10-1/4 in. (39.1 x 26.0 cm)
- Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Gift of Sir John Pope-Hennessy, 1981
- Object Number: 1981.364
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
More Artwork
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Related Content
Free to download
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.
Content Notice
The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.