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The Council of Nicaea The Council of Nicaea
Draughtsman: Nebbia, Cesare
History note: R.W.P. de Vries; Stichting Collectie P. En de Boer; Christie's, 4 July 1995; Paul Prouté, from whom bought
From the Mark Fisch Fund.
Height: 245 mm
Width: 528 mm
Method of acquisition: Given (2001) by The American Friends of Cambridge University Fund
Production date: AD 1589
The drawing is an early study for the fresco dateable 1588-89 in the Salone Sistino in the Vatican Library as Rhoda Eitel Porter has pointed out [see M.L. Madonna [ed.] 'Roma di Sisto V, exhibition catalogue, Rome 1993, p. 80, fig. 5.] The iconography was devised by Federico Rinaldi and under the direction of Nebbia and Giovanni Guerra [c. 1540-1618], a whole team of artists worked on the frescoes. According to Baglione the fresco of the Council of Nicaea was painted by Hendrick van de Broeck, known as Arrigo Fiammingo [Malines c. 1523-1601 Rome]. Baglione adds that the drawings and cartoons for these decorations were provided by Nebbia himself [G. Baglione, 'Le Vite de' Pittori', Rome, 1642, p. 117.] Other drawings for the decoration of the Salone Sistino are in the National Museum, Stockholm. The council of Necaea took place in 325 C.E. It was convoked by the Emperer Constantine who hoped that a general Council of the Church would solve the problem created in the Eastern Church by Arianism - a heresy that affirmed that Christ is not divine but a created being. Pope Sylvester I did not attend but was represented by legates. It also attempted to establish a uniform date for Easter but failed. It was the first ecumenical council of the Christian Church.
Brown ink
Brown wash
Black chalk
Red chalk
Support composed of paper
Drawing : Recto: pen and brown ink, brown wash, over traces of black chalk verso: red chalk, on three sheets of paper, joined together
Accession number: PD.37-2001
Primary reference Number: 28204
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Paintings, Drawings and Prints
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IIIF Manifest
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "The Council of Nicaea" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/28204 Accessed: 2024-05-11 01:24:40
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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/28204
|title=The Council of Nicaea
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-05-11 01:24:40|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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