Jael

Alfred Stevens 1818 - 1875

Summary

Figurine of a standing female wearing classical robes and headdress, head turned to the left and gazing downwards. Right arm crossed over to opposite shoulder with a tool slung over her shoulder, left hand carries a dagger. A sketch model of Jael, one of three Old Testament figures proposed by Alfred Stevens for the decoration of the dome in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London (it was intended to go in one of the niches round the Whispering Gallery beneath the great dome). Between 1862 and 1865 Steven’s was commissioned to produce designs for the proposed redecoration of St Paul’s, a project that did not in the end, come to fruition. See this version in the V&A: http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O75806/jael-sketchmodel-alfred-stevens/