Joseph Mallord William Turner

Sketches of the Statue of ‘Jonah’ in the Chigi Chapel, Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome

1819

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

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Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Part of
St Peter’s Sketchbook
Medium
Graphite on paper
Dimensions
Support: 189 x 114 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856
Reference
D16240
Turner Bequest CLXXXVIII 47

Catalogue entry

These three sketches represent Jonah, a marble statue of the Old Testament character located in the Chigi Chapel in the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo. Like the chapel itself, the sculpture was designed by Raphael although was ultimately executed by his pupil, Lorenzo Lotto, also known as Lorenzetto (1490–1541). It still stands in the same position as in Turner’s day, in a niche on the left-hand side of the altar. Cecilia Powell has argued that the aspect on entering the chapel is unsatisfactory since the the legs appear foreshortened. In order to find the best compositional arrangement therefore, Turner must have adopted the viewpoint at the far side of the altar, below the pendant sculpture of Elijah by Bernini. Another sketch of the statue inscribed ‘Jonas’, can be found in the Remarks (Italy) sketchbook (see Tate D16855; Turner Bequest CXCIII 85a).
During the nineteenth century the work was still believed to be the sole example of Raphael’s skill as a sculptor, even though it had in fact been established that it had been executed by a pupil from a model by the master.1 Samuel Rogers, who visited Rome in 1814, wrote in his journal entry for 15 December, ‘Chapel of “Agostin Chigi amico suo caro” the work of which was superintended by Raphael; who died before it was finished. The cieling [sic] is in mosaic from his designs ... & the statue of Jonas must have been modelled by him, it is so full of sweetness. The head, says Canova, is that of the Antinous.’2 John Gage has linked Turner’s knowledge of the statue with his homage to Raphael, the large oil painting Rome, from the Vatican exhibited 1820 (Tate N00503).3 Gage has suggested that the reclining statue in the foreground of the picture, possibly of a river god, is intended to represent the Renaissance master’s skill in various aspects of the arts, including sculpture. However, Robert McVaugh has argued that the sculpture in the painting in fact may represent, Day, a work by Michelangelo from the Medici Chapel, Florence.4
1
John Gage, Colour in Turner: Poetry and Truth, London 1969, p.241 note 72, and Powell 1987, p.61.
2
J.R Hale (ed.), The Italian Journal of Samuel Rogers, London 1956, p.222.
3
Gage 1969, p.93.
4
McVaugh 1987, p.386.

Nicola Moorby
September 2008

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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘View of Piazza del Popolo, Rome, from the Pincian Hill, with the Churches of Santa Maria in Monte Santo and Santa Maria de’ Miracoli’ 1819

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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Fontana dei Dioscuri and the Palazzo del Quirinale, Rome’ 1819

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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘The Vicolo Sterrata, Rome, with the Statue of Apollo in the Gardens of the Palazzo Barberini’ 1819

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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Studies of Sculptural Fragments from the Vatican Museums, Including a Statue of a Sleeping Maiden, a Frieze with a Procession of Children, and a Sarcophagus with Nereids’ 1819

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Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘?Distant View of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome’ 1819

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