Watercolour, Copy after Michelangelo’s fresco of the ‘Prophet Ezekiel’ on the Sistine Chapel vault (Sistine Chapel, Rome, about 1511), Signature in black ink on the bottom right corner of the painted section ‘C. Mariannecci fece. Roma.1867’, 1867.

Watercolour on paperboard. Copy after the fresco representing the ‘Prophet Ezekiel’ on the vault of the Sistine Chapel. The watercolour takes the shape of the space between fictive ribs on the barrel-vaulted ceiling. The prophet is identified by the marble plaque on which the name ‘Ezechiel’ is inscribed. Ezekiel is represented as an old man in a red dress with a white beard, wearing a light-blue turban and a long mauve scarf. He energetically turns to his right and gestures towards the viewer with his right hand. He sits on a marble throne with two plinths on either side, adorned with putti in dynamic poses. The prophet is holding a paper scroll in his left hand and looks over his shoulder to a naked youth who points to the frescoes above them. The other young assistant is looking out of the picture but is almost entirely obscured by the figure of Ezekiel. On the bottom right corner of the painted section, the artist signed the watercolour ‘C. Mariannecci fece. Roma.1867’, 1867.

Prophet Ezekiel.

National Gallery, 1993.

Watercolour made for the Arundel Society in 1867; given in 1897 to the National Gallery, London; transferred to the V&A in 1993.

This watercolour is a copy made by Cesare Mariannecci for the Arundel Society after one of the prophets depicted on the vault of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo around 1511. The main figure, Ezekiel, is identified by the plaque inscribed with his Latin name.


Arundel Society
The Arundel Society was founded in 1848 to promote knowledge of the art through the publication of reproductions of works of art. The Society was named after Thomas Howard, 2nd Earl of Arundel (1585-1646), important aristocratic patron and collector of the early Stuart period. The Society was intended to reach the largest possible audience through these reproductions. Subjects were chosen because of their instructive meaning rather than their popularity. In addition to copies of famous paintings, the Society published an English translation of Giorgio Vasari’s Lives of the most excellent painters, made in 1850 by Giovanni Aubrey Bezzi (1785-1789), one of the founding members of the Society.

The Arundel Society popularised Renaissance art, particularly that of the Italian Old Masters, echoing a growing interest for ‘primitives’ in the second half of the nineteenth century. The founding members of the Arundel Society were all acknowledge experts on Italian art. For instance, Sir Charles Eastlake (1793–1865; painter and art administrator), whose house was the meeting point of the Society, was Director of the National Gallery in London from 1855 until 1865 and during his tenure, he began one of the finest collections of Italian art in Britain.
Other preeminent members were John Ruskin (1819-1900, English writer, painter and collector), who supervised projects including the watercolours series of the Upper and Lower Church in Assisi, and Sir Austen H. Layard (1817-1894; English archaeologist, politician, diplomat, collector and writer). Layard lived and travelled in Italy for many years and his knowledge of the country’s art was extensive. It was thanks to Layard’s funding that the Society were able to publish copies of the watercolours made at their direction using chromolithography. Although photography was increasingly popular, as photographs could only be made in black and white, chromolithography was chosen as it was felt to be closer to the principals of the Arundel Society: they were coloured and had the aura of traditional prints. In this way, copies were more like the originals.

The Society reached the height of its popularity in the 1860s. However, by the end of the century, it faced mounting criticism with regards to the accuracy of its watercolour copies. The Society ceased its activities in 1897. At this time the availability of second hand prints had increased and the Society found it difficult to find market for its chromolithographs. Moreover, photographic reproductions were becoming increasingly popular thanks to technical advances. The last display of the Arundel Society’s watercolours took place at the National Gallery and when the Society was dissolved, some watercolours were given to that Institution, while others were acquired by the then South Kensington Museum (now V&A). The outstanding watercolours were transferred from the National Gallery to the V&A in the 1990s.

In 1867, Cesare Mariannecci, was commissioned by the Arundel Society to copy some of the frescoes painted by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel in watercolour so as to convey the effect of the fresco technique. Unlike the original fresco, Mariannecci’s copy does not depict any sign of physical deterioration.

The watercolour was reproduced as a chromolithograph and published in 1871 in the Arundel Society’s issues, which were available to the public by subscription. When the Arundel Society was dissolved in 1897, the original watercolours were given to the National Gallery, which eventually transferred them to the V&A in 1993 where they have remained since.

Commissioned by the Arundel Society.

This watercolour is a copy after the fresco representing the ‘Prophet Ezekiel’ (one of the prophets from the Old Testament. Prophets predicted some events of the Christian era before Christ’s birth) in the vault of the Sistine Chapel, which was executed by Michelangelo around 1511.

In 1867, Cesare Mariannecci was commissioned by the Arundel Society to copy the fresco in watercolour. This was reproduced as a chromolithograph and published in 1871. When the Arundel Society was dissolved in 1897, the watercolour was given to the National Gallery and eventually transferred to the V&A in 1993, where it has remained ever since.

E.225-1995