Cleric (lower register; study for wall paintings in the Chapel of Saint Remi, Sainte-Clotilde, Paris, 1858) 1830 - 1875

"Cleric" is a preparatory drawing by Isidore Pils, a prominent French artist of the 19th century. Created between 1830 and 1875, this red chalk drawing, currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, is a study for wall paintings in the Chapel of Saint Remi, Sainte-Clotilde in Paris. The drawing depicts a figure in a long robe kneeling with their arm raised, demonstrating Pils's mastery in capturing the human form and the flow of drapery. This study exemplifies the meticulous planning that went into Pils's large-scale religious projects.