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Cupid on a marine horse

Maker

(artist)
1527-1585

Title

Medium

graphite, pen and ink (brown), wash (brown) on laid paper, with brown ink framing lines, laid down; the upper right edge made up

Dimensions

Height: 23.8 cm
Width: 34.1 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.1932

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

Images of composite animals were commonly used in the 16th century; often they were copied from bestiaries or illustrated treatises. Here a chubby cupid is seen astride a so-called hippocampus (half horse, half fish) which in Greek mythology drew the chariots of Neptune and of Galatea. Cambiaso, a leading Genoese painter, was a highly original draughtsman. In this powerful composition the giant figures which dominate the sheet are executed with an energetic, free-flowing pen line and broad watercolour washes.

Provenance

Christian David Ginsburg, Palmer's Green (1831-1914); purchased from him by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), n.d.; Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

Captured on Paper, Animals in the Prints and Drawings Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 20/06/2002-11/08/2002

Inscriptions

Watermark: Watermark: upper centre: large bunch of grapes, below are some letters, perhaps "PR" but unable to see clearly due to backing sheet (no match found on Briquet or Piccard but could be with a clearer image).

Inscription: Luqueto. / R //

Inscription: Solis

Inscription: 8 RI [could be Rs?]

Inscription: caigiagi

Inscription: F. de Solis 1629-1684

Collector's mark: collector's mark of Christian David Ginsburg (L.1145)

Collector's mark: collector's mark of Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b)

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