Design for a Pulpit

Louis Gustave Taraval

18th century · Pen and black ink, brush and brown, gray, and blue washes, over black chalk underdrawing · Drawings and Prints

Together with a second drawing in the collection, this drawing by Taraval shows ideas for the design of a pulpit. While they could represent an exercise, created without a specific location in mind, there is some evidence to suggest that they were, in fact, meant for the church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. The church’s existing pulpit was built during Taraval’s lifetime after the design of his contemporary, the architect Charles de Wailly. The close correspondence between the sculpture crowning this structure and the two variants presented in Taraval’s drawings may indicate that Taraval had hoped to gain the commission himself. This suspicion seems to be confirmed by a related design by Taraval for the organ tribune in the same church.

Artist

Louis Gustave Taraval

Date

18th century

Medium

Pen and black ink, brush and brown, gray, and blue washes, over black chalk underdrawing

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2008