Lion's Head from the Capitoline Staircase1752/1756
Augustin Pajou drew this in 1752/1756, aged about 22. It is now at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. More about this work
About this work
This is a detailed sketch of a lion's head, positioned to show its profile. The drawing features the lion's broad nose, rounded mouth, large eye, and flowing mane. The facial features are depicted with various curves and lines. The sketch is on textured paper with pencil shading creating variations in the background. Handwritten text at the bottom reads "Leone de l'Escalier du capitol."
Description from the National Gallery of Art.
Augustin Pajou drew this in 1752/1756, aged about 22. It is now at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
How it was made
- Chalk
- Natural black, red and white chalks. Used together on toned paper they could give the warmth of flesh with very little effort, and they were favourites for studies from life.
- Laid paper
- Handmade on a mould of close-set wires, which leave fine parallel lines you can see when the sheet is held to the light.
Rights and the museum’s record
Public domain. The National Gallery of Art has dedicated this image to the public domain under CC0, so anyone may copy, adapt and use it, for any purpose, without asking. Our prints and files are reproductions made from the museum’s image; the museum doesn’t endorse them.
- Object number
- 1999.75.5.a
- Credit
- Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
- Type
- Drawing
- Licence
- CC0 1.0 Universal
- Museum record
- See it on the museum’s site
