Cleric (lower register; study for wall paintings in the Chapel of Saint Remi, Sainte-Clotilde, Paris, 1858) 1830 - 1875

Isidore Pils created this study in red chalk for a mural in Paris's Sainte-Clotilde Chapel in 1858. The drawing depicts a kneeling cleric, gazing upwards with an expression of devotion. Pils, as a figure within the French academic system, gained prominence for his history paintings, often focusing on military subjects, aligning with the nationalistic sentiments of the era. This study, however, provides insight into the role of religious institutions within French society. The construction of Sainte-Clotilde itself was a significant project, reflecting the revival of religious fervor in post-revolutionary France and the negotiation between church and state. Pils's commission speaks to the institutional support for religious art and its function in shaping public morality. To understand this work fully, a historian might examine church records, architectural plans, and Pils's other works. This piece reminds us that art is both a product of and a contributor to its social and institutional context.