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Study of a left hand

Maker

Spain (Seville) 18th century (artist)
1700-1799

Title

Date of Production

1700 - 1799

Medium

black and white chalk with stumping on blue laid paper, laid down

Dimensions

Height: 17.4 cm
Width: 22 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.207

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

Reaching toward the viewer in a startling gesture, this hand was drawn as an exercise in foreshortening. The careful sfumato modelling is typical of academic studies. It is unclear whether a live model was used or whether the drawing was made from a plaster cast, but the sheet is certainly an example of early academic practice in Spain, which began in Seville in the 1660s.

Notes

A similar study is in the Abello collection, Madrid; the sfumato may indicate either an Italian artist working in Spain or a Spanish imitator of Italian academic studies.

Provenance

John Rushout, 2nd Earl of Northwick (1770-1859); his estate sale, Sotheby's (London), 1-4 November 1920, lot 327 (with another study of hands); Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b; Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

The Spanish Line - From Ribera to Picasso, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 13/10/2011-15/01/2012

Literature

Véliz, Zahira, Spanish Drawings in the Courtauld Gallery: complete catalogue, London, 2011
no. 102
Illus. p. 277

Inscriptions

Watermark: none.

Inscription: Verso (backing sheet): stencil marks in dry brush and black ink, upper centre edge, cut off: 2 and lower edge, unclear: [...]P8J. T[...]; upper centre, graphite, unclear: c/pc [?]; lower right, graphite: 15 / mo .

Collector's mark: Removed from a former mount and now mounted separately with the drawing, black ink: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).

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