The Creation of Adam (1771) by Bayeu, Francisco - Public Domain Catholic Painting
This is a preparatory oil sketch for one of the eight, now lost, frescoes for the dome of the collegiate church at La Granja de San Ildefonso, Segovia. They depicted the exaltation of the Holy Trinity and the revelation of the existence of God. On Tiepolo’s death in 1770, Francisco Bayeu took over the commission, combining Tiepolo’s approach to space with Mengs’s precise modelling and sculptural body types, evident in the figure of Adam.
In this sketch the noble simplicity of the poses and emotions evidences the influence of Anton Raphael Mengs, whom Bayeu also followed in the sculptural modelling of the figures.
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This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. This photographic reproduction is considered to be in the public domain in the United States. In other jurisdictions, re-use of this content may be restricted.