Study for a Funerary Monument by Augustin Pajou

Study for a Funerary Monument 1750

drawing

toned paper

pencil sketch

charcoal drawing

charcoal art

coloured pencil

coffee painting

underpainting

france

watercolour illustration

pencil art

watercolor

This 1750 drawing by French sculptor Augustin Pajou, titled *Study for a Funerary Monument*, is a preparatory sketch for a monumental tomb. The drawing depicts a grieving woman in a hooded cloak seated on a plinth, with a winged figure to her left. The woman is holding a portrait medallion of two individuals. Surrounding them are classical architectural elements, including columns and urns. The inscription "DOM. I." on the plinth indicates the monument's dedication, though the specifics are unknown. The drawing's delicate lines and subtle shading showcase Pajou's mastery of draftsmanship, characteristic of his work in the Neoclassical style.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Augustin Pajou’s earliest known drawing, this study testifies to the twenty-year-old sculptor’s excellent draftsmanship, for which he was celebrated throughout his career. The two portrait profiles on the medallion and the pair of urns indicate that this is a double tomb for a husband and wife. Pajou’s family name is inscribed on one of the columns, but in light of his humble origins and modest financial situation, this monument seems an entirely fanciful exercise. The tomb displays the full panoply of funeral iconography established by the high nobility. The difficulty of adapting it for a family of carpenters and sculptors might account for Pajou’s drawing a rather unspecific pleurante (mourner) holding a laurel branch as the main figure. The books piled under the portrait medallion on the pedestal emphasize the deceased’s erudition rather than any specific accomplishments or skills, let alone of a manual kind. An identification of the couple meant to be honored by the imaginary tomb is conjectural, and even the inscriptions remain mysterious.