Composition

'Priests addressing soldiers', St Petersburg Sketchbook, p. 28, The Hunterian

'Studies of figures including Jesus and the woman of Samaria', St Petersburg Sketchbook, p. 50, The Hunterian

There are a number of complex figure compositions illustrating biblical subjects, including, on p. 50 (as seen above), the story of the woman of Samaria, from the Gospel of John, chapter 4, verses 4-26, and, on p. 39, 'Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's' from the Gospel of St Matthew, chapter 22, verse 21.

Technique

'Studies of a seated figure and a winged cherub', St Petersburg Sketchbook, p. 14, The Hunterian

'Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's', St Petersburg Sketchbook, p. 39, The Hunterian

Most drawings are in pencil, several in pen and ink, a very few in chalks and watercolour. An elaborate but unfinished watercolour on a biblical subject, 'Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's', is reproduced above.

Further information on the technique is given in MacDonald 2006 [more] (cat. no. 101).