James ThornhillEnglish, 1675–1734The Ascension
May one see it?
Not receiving at present
Victoria and Albert Museum
London, United Kingdom
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
This drawing is a study for the ceiling painting in Queen's College Chapel, Oxford. It depicts the Ascension of Christ with arms open, wrapped in billowing drapery and surrounded by angels. Thornhill made only minor changes to the composition of the final painting, slightly adjusting the angle of Christ's raised right leg and opening the right hand of the angel on the far left as if in awe. He loosely sketched the composition is pencil before delineating it more precisely in pen and ink, and enhancing the darker passages with grey wash.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Particulars
- Accession number
- DYCE.618
What it shows
In the catalog
Sources
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Image: Victoria and Albert Museum — © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
