Parnassus
Date
ca. 1545-1551
Creator
Location
Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
Parnassus depicts the mythological mountain believed to have been the idyllic home of the Muses. In the drawing, Apollo is centrally seated, surrounded by the nine goddesses, two river-gods, and the winged horse, Pegasus. Apollo is accompanied by one of his attributes, the lyre. He is draped and wears a laurel wreath. Two river-gods recline directly below Apollo--perhaps referencing the Castalian and Hippocrene springs--while the nine Muses flank the Greek god and gesture upward towards Pegasus. Chronological and stylistic evidence of the Parnassus suggests it was a working drawing for a print. [...] The carefully laid contours and areas of parallel and cross-hatchings correspond with the particular graphic style of Franco's prints--most visibly, in his Resurrection (1530-61) in the British Museum, London. The accentuated expressivity, fluid, curved strokes, and delicate sketching is evident in both works and, based on this persuasive stylistic similarity, it follows that Franco's Parnassus was intended for the same function, as a preparatory drawing for a print. from Coleman, Seminar in Italian Drawings (Notre Dame, 2009)
![Parnassus depicts the mythological mountain believed to have been the idyllic home of the Muses. In the drawing, Apollo is centrally seated, surrounded by the nine goddesses, two river-gods, and the winged horse, Pegasus. Apollo is accompanied by one of his attributes, the lyre. He is draped and wears a laurel wreath. Two river-gods recline directly below Apollo--perhaps referencing the Castalian and Hippocrene springs--while the nine Muses flank the Greek god and gesture upward towards Pegasus.
Chronological and stylistic evidence of the Parnassus suggests it was a working drawing for a print. [...] The carefully laid contours and areas of parallel and cross-hatchings correspond with the particular graphic style of Franco's prints--most visibly, in his Resurrection (1530-61) in the British Museum, London. The accentuated expressivity, fluid, curved strokes, and delicate sketching is evident in both works and, based on this persuasive stylistic similarity, it follows that Franco's Parnassus was intended for the same function, as a preparatory drawing for a print.
from Coleman, Seminar in Italian Drawings (Notre Dame, 2009)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fiiif-image.library.nd.edu%2Fiiif%2F2%2F2014.061.103%2F2014_061_103-v0002%2Ffull%2Ffull%2F0%2Fdefault.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
![Parnassus depicts the mythological mountain believed to have been the idyllic home of the Muses. In the drawing, Apollo is centrally seated, surrounded by the nine goddesses, two river-gods, and the winged horse, Pegasus. Apollo is accompanied by one of his attributes, the lyre. He is draped and wears a laurel wreath. Two river-gods recline directly below Apollo--perhaps referencing the Castalian and Hippocrene springs--while the nine Muses flank the Greek god and gesture upward towards Pegasus.
Chronological and stylistic evidence of the Parnassus suggests it was a working drawing for a print. [...] The carefully laid contours and areas of parallel and cross-hatchings correspond with the particular graphic style of Franco's prints--most visibly, in his Resurrection (1530-61) in the British Museum, London. The accentuated expressivity, fluid, curved strokes, and delicate sketching is evident in both works and, based on this persuasive stylistic similarity, it follows that Franco's Parnassus was intended for the same function, as a preparatory drawing for a print.
from Coleman, Seminar in Italian Drawings (Notre Dame, 2009)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fiiif-image.library.nd.edu%2Fiiif%2F2%2F2014.061.103%2F2014_061_103-v0001%2Ffull%2Ffull%2F0%2Fdefault.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Our collection information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. If you have spotted an error, please contact Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at RMMACollections@nd.edu.