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Lady and gentleman skating on ice

Maker

(artist)
1589-1662

Title

Date of Production

(circa) 1625

Medium

red and black chalk on laid paper, with brown ink framing lines

Dimensions

Height: 29.1 cm
Width: 19.7 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.182

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 drawing has been viewed simply as a representation of a common winter activity. However, since van de Venne included moral tags such as 'the blind leading the blind' on some of his paintings, it is possible that contemporaries may have seen the couple's elaborately fashionable costume, and particularly the flamboyant pose of the man, as implying a moral lesson, such as 'pride comes before a fall', or 'skating on thin ice'. Calvinist disapproval of ostentation in dress may have encouraged such readings.

Provenance

Charles Fairfax Murray, London (1849-1919) [not evident in the catalogue of his estate sale at Christie's, 30 January 1920, though not all drawings were listed in detail]; F.R. Meatyard (London); purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b, n.d. (£3); Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

About Time, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 24/02/2000-30/05/2000

Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 16/10/1991-19/01/1992

Literature

Buijsen, Edwin, 'Roodkrijttekeningen naar schilderijen van Adriaen van de Venne en hun mogelijke functie' in 'Oud Holland', 2005 - pp. 131-202; 118, 3/4
no. 13
Illus. p. 182

Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1991
cat. no. 75
pp. 158, 195
Illus. p. 159

Inscriptions

Watermark: upper centre: large vase with two handles contained in a circle with a border; emerging from the top is a five-pointed flower, above are stacked two circles and a crescent moon (not found in Heawood or Piccard).

Inscription: Verso: centre, graphite: Van de Venne; centre, black ink: 1-; lower right corner, brown ink: VIII.

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

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