The style of handwriting on this drawing helps date it around the turn of the sixteenth century. The anonymous artist here records the leg of a sculpture of Mercury and the body of a Venus, a known antique then in the Papal collection. The Latin and Italian inscriptions from different biblical and theological sources were added later by an unknown author. These quotations flow beyond the edges of the paper and follow the contours of the figures, seemingly at odds with the pagan images they surround.

Henry Gay Hewlett, Kent (1832-1897); his estate sale, Sotheby's (London), 28 - 29 November 1922, lot 12 (with D.1952.RW.1159); purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b (£2); Witt Bequest 1952

Drawings Gallery Display - Reading Drawings, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 21/01/2017-04/06/2017

Special Display - Looking at Michelangelo, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 11/02/2010-06/06/2010

Inscription: Recto (within drawing): upper right, red chalk: Allato / alma virgo obscondita e secrete dicitur alma santa sive pulchra vel alens ab al[...] / In nel operare di Mer / curio non comanda / si non potensia di rason divina / anodando intel / letto sarpina .

Inscription: Recto (within drawing): upper centre, red chalk, last two lines unclear: Equivalente / Uniform / Ala vita [?] familiare / E de la republica / [?] / [?].

Inscription: Recto (within drawing): upper right, brown ink: Sempiterna madre.

Inscription: Recto (within drawing): upper centre (interspersed with red chalk inscription), brown ink: In te, Domine, speravi non / mi confundar in aeternum.

Inscription: Recto: left lower edge, brown ink, cut off:[...]ium sapientiae est timor / [...]ini .

Inscription: Recto: left lower edge, brown ink: Sub generibus potens est.

Inscription: Recto: right lower edge, brown ink: malus.

Inscription: Recto: left centre edge, grey ink, cut off: vini / neto [?] / mercurio / [...]rdia in / [...]er / [...]iscordia di giuno / [...]t io liberata nel / voler divino / [...]er sormetter / [...]lii.

Inscription: Recto: lower right edge, brown ink: 3205.

Inscription: Mount (historic), Recto: upper centre, brown ink, abraded and mostly illegible: [...] Bott[...].

Inscription: Mount (historic), Recto: right centre edge, graphite, partly abraded: 10 [...]/16 x [...].

Inscription: Mount (historic), Recto: lower centre edge, brown ink: Fra. Gio Ag.o Montorsoli.

Inscription: Mount (historic), Verso: lower centre, graphite, Witt number: 1160.

Inscription: Mount (historic), Verso: lower right corner, brown ink unclear: #156 np. [?].

Collector's mark: Mount (historic), Verso: lower left, stamped in black: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).

Watermark: none evident in the drawing sheet. Mount (historic), Verso: centre, large fleur-de-lis above a word or letters: “J…M”.

Inscription: Outer mount (removed, cut down and now in object file), Recto: lower right, graphite: Fra Giovanni Agostino Montorsoli / 1507-1563 / Study of a Statue in the Vatican / T.O.