Who painted Study for "The Fates Gathering in the Stars"?

Study for "The Fates Gathering in the Stars" was painted by Elihu Vedder in 1886.

Where can I see Study for "The Fates Gathering in the Stars"?

Study for "The Fates Gathering in the Stars" is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Study for "The Fates Gathering in the Stars"?

Study for "The Fates Gathering in the Stars" is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of Study for "The Fates Gathering in the Stars"?

Museum-quality prints of Study for "The Fates Gathering in the Stars" are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Study for "The Fates Gathering in the Stars"

Elihu Vedder , 1886

Study for "The Fates Gathering in the Stars" is a charcoal drawing by the Impressionist artist Elihu Vedder. It dates from 1886 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower left in graphite by unknown hand: Study by / E. Vedder for / "The Fates" / Chicago; lower left verso in graphite: Torso Study #1

About this work

Overview

Created in 1886, the drawing titled Study for “The Fates Gathering in the Stars” is a preparatory work executed in charcoal and chalk on gray wove paper. It represents a preliminary exploration by American artist Elihu Vedder, who was active as a symbolist painter, book illustrator and poet in the late nineteenth century.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts the mythic personifications of the Fates assembling the celestial bodies, a motif drawn from classical allegory. Vedder’s choice of this theme reflects his ongoing fascination with symbolic narratives that convey ideas about destiny, time and the cosmos, recurring concerns in his broader oeuvre.

Technique & Style

Vedder employed a combination of charcoal’s deep tonal range and chalk’s softer highlights to model the figures against the muted gray paper. The drawing’s gestural lines and layered shading reveal a careful study of form and atmosphere, characteristic of his method of working out complex symbolic scenes before committing them to oil.

History & Provenance

The piece belongs to Vedder’s body of work produced alongside his celebrated illustrations for Edward FitzGerald’s deluxe edition of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. While the study itself remained in private hands for many years, it has been documented in catalogues of his drawings, underscoring its role in the artist’s preparatory process.