Young man seated, reading
Maker
(artist)
1776-1837
1776-1837
Title
Young man seated, reading
Date of Production
(circa) 1806
Medium
graphite on wove paper
Dimensions
Height: 27.7 cm
Width: 16.8 cm
Width: 16.8 cm
Accession Number
D.1952.RW.1783
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
This portrait drawing of an unknown sitter almost certainly belongs to the period 1805-10 when Constable was painting portraits of local Suffolk worthies. He uses soft outlines, with broad blocking-in of forms, and picks out salient features such as eyes, mouth and hair-parting with crisp, emphatic strokes.
Provenance
Countess of Strafford; her sale, Christie's 30 November 1892, lot 73 or 92; Frederick Anthony White, London (1842-before 1934); probably F.R. Meatyard (London); probably purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b, n.d. (with D.1952.RW.1780 and D.1952.RW.1781); Witt Bequest 1952
Exhibition History
Richard Wilson and John Constable, Oxford Arts Club, 26/10/1937-18/11/1937
Literature
Reynolds, Graham, The early paintings and drawings of John Constable, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1996
no. 06.130. on p. 92
Illus. pl. 507
Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 11
M. T. Ritchie (ed.), English drawings: an anthology, London: Chatto & Windus, 1935
Illus. repr.
no. 06.130. on p. 92
Illus. pl. 507
Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 11
M. T. Ritchie (ed.), English drawings: an anthology, London: Chatto & Windus, 1935
Illus. repr.
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: none.
Inscription: Verso: lower left corner, graphite: "103"; lower right corner, graphite: "49".
Collector's mark: Verso: lower left corner, stamped in black: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).
Inscription: Verso: lower left corner, graphite: "103"; lower right corner, graphite: "49".
Collector's mark: Verso: lower left corner, stamped in black: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).
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