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Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence

Maker

(artist)
1527-1585

Title

Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence

Medium

red chalk, pen and brown ink, brown wash on laid paper

Dimensions

Height: 24.4 cm
Width: 35.3 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.14

Mode of Acquisition

Robert Clermont Witt, bequest, 1952

Credit

The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Copyright

Work in the public domain

Location

Not currently on display

Keywords








Label Text

The variety and inventiveness of drawing in Italy in the mid to late sixteenth century is illustrated by Genoese Cambiaso's eccentric, cube-like simplifications of forms in this compositional study for a painting. Saint Lawrence is shown being roasted on a gridiron after causing offence to the Prefect of Rome for distributing church treasures to the poor and sick. The saint's raised arms and the angular figures of his torturers, bending and gesticulating, add to the drama.

Provenance

probably Alfred Sensier (1815-1877), L.3105; his sale, unknown date and location, lot 336; London, Sotheby's, 1 August 1928, lot 13; purchased there by Frank T. Sabin (London); Sotheby's (London), 21 November 1934, lot 16; purchased there by R.E.A. WIlson (London); purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), 1935 (£6); Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

Die Geometrie der figur. Luca Cambiaso und die Folgen, Felix Nussbaumhaus/Osnabruck Museum of Cultural History, Osnabruck, 28/01/2007-22/04/2007

The Witt Collection - Four centuries of drawings, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/04/2004-20/06/2004

Italian Old Master drawings. Witt Collection, Courtauld Gallery, The National Art Gallery of New Zealand, Wellington, 1970 ...More

Between Renaissance and Baroque: European Art 1520-1600, Manchester City Art Gallery, 1965

A Selection of Drawings from The Witt/Courtauld Collections, University of Sussex, Falmer, 1964

Old Master Drawings from the Witt Collection, Auckland City Art Gallery, 01/09/1960-01/10/1960

Drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1958-59

Drawings from the Witt Collection at the Courtauld Institute of Art, St James's Square, London; York City Art Gallery; Peterborough Art Gallery, 1953 ...Less

Literature

Geometrie der Figur: Luca Cambiaso und die moderne Kunst, Kulturgeschichtliches Museum, Osnabruck, 2007
p. 112
illus. 113

Italian Old Master drawings. Witt Collection, Courtauld Gallery, The National Art Gallery of New Zealand, Wellington, 1970
cat. no. 15
illus. p. 14

G.L. Conran, Between Renaissance and Baroque: European Art 1520-1600, Manchester City Art Gallery, 1965
cat. no. 289 ...More

Old Master Drawings from the Witt Collection, Auckland City Art Gallery, 1960
cat. no. 20

Drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1958 - 1959
cat. no. 26

Drawings from the Witt Collection at the Courtauld Institute of Art, St James's Square, London, York City Art Gallery and Peterborough Art Gallery, 1953
cat. no. 46 ...Less

Inscriptions

Inscription: Recto: upper left corner, brown ink: "18."

Collector's mark: Recto: lower right and again verso, lower centre, stamped in ink (blue): unidentified collector's mark (L.3105) [probably belongs to Alfred Sensier - in communication with Lugt regarding this in October 2016 and January 2018].

Inscription: Verso: centre, red chalk and 'x-d' over in pen and dark brown ink: 192.

Inscription: Verso: lower left, graphite: Sensier Sale / (No 336) .

Inscription: Verso: lower right, graphite, last letters unclear: Cangiage 2229 CE [?].

Inscription: Verso: lower left, graphite, underlined: £ 922.

Inscription: Verso: lower left, graphite, circled: 5.

Inscription: Verso: lower centre, graphite: Cambiaso / The Martyrdom of St Lawrence / from the Sensier coll. .

Inscription: Verso: lower right, graphite, hard to read: mvi [?].

Inscription: Verso: right centre edge, brown ink: X.

Watermark: none.

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