by-nc

Design for the ceiling of the Painted Hall, Greenwich Hospital (recto)
Sketch for a pediment (verso)

Maker

(artist)
1675-1734

Title

Design for the ceiling of the Painted Hall, Greenwich Hospital (recto)
Sketch for a pediment (verso)

Date of Production

(circa) 1707

Medium

graphite, pen and brown ink, brown wash (recto), graphite, pen and brown ink, and brown wash trials (verso) on laid paper

Dimensions

Height: 35.7 cm
Width: 22.6 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.2250

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

James Thornhill made numerous studies in preparation for his ceiling of the Painted Hall at the Royal Hospital in Greenwich, set up in 1692 as a home for retired sailors of the Royal Navy. Arguably the grandest Baroque scheme by a British artist, this design celebrated the nation’s scientific and cultural achievements. At lower centre, the figure of Architecture holds a plan of the building. At the foot, Hercules (Strength) wields a club, and Pallas (Wisdom) destroys the vices.

Provenance

Mrs. Esdaile; acquired from her by B.T. Batsford (London); purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), before November 1926 (along with D.1952.RW.2223, 2225, 2227, 2228, 2230, 2231, 2233, 2237, 2243, 2245, 2246, 2248); Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

Drawings Gallery Display - Pen to Brush: British Drawings and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 18/11/2021-28/02/2022

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

English Baroque sketches: the painter interior in the age of Thornhill, Marble Hill House, Twickenham, 01/05/1974-07/07/1974 ...More

Architectural Drawings from the Witt Collection, University of Nottingham, 01/05/1972-01/06/1972

Master Drawings from the Witt and Courtauld Collections, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, 17/11/1962-22/12/1962

Architectural Drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/07/1961-01/10/1961

An exhibition of paintings and drawings by Sir James Thornhill, Guildhall Art Gallery, London, 04/06/1958-10/07/1958

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

Drawings by Old Masters, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1953

Old Masters from the Witt Collection, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 01/01/1943-01/05/1943

Desenul şi gravura englezá, secole le XVIII-XX. Expoziţie de desen, acuaretà, pastel şi gravurǎ subtoate formele / Ausstellung von Britischen Aquarellen Zeichnungen, Muzeul Roma Stelian, Bucharest; Prague; Vienna, 15/12/1935-02/03/1936

British Art Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 06/01/1934-10/03/1934

Meisterwerke englischer Malerei aus drei Jahrhunderten, Vienna, 1927

Burlington Fine Arts Club, London, 1926-27 ...Less

Literature

Dr. Anya Matthews, A Great and Noble Design, Hampton Printing (Bristol) Ltd October 2016
p. 19

English Baroque sketches: the painter interior in the age of Thornhill, Marble Hill House, Twickenham, 1974
cat. no. 20

Anthony Blunt and Philip Troutman, Master Drawings from the Witt and Courtauld Collections, 1962
cat. no. 14 ...More

Architectural Drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1961

Drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1958 - 1959
cat. no. 9

Girouard, Mark, 'An English Master of the Baroque' in 'Country Life', 19 June 1958
p. 1360ff
fig. 6

Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 51

Drawings by Old Masters, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1953
cat. no. 443

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. 40

Desenul şi gravura englezá, secole le XVIII-XX. Expoziţie de desen, acuaretà, pastel şi gravurǎ subtoate formele / Ausstellung von Britischen Aquarellen Zeichnungen, Muzeul Roma Stelian, Bucharest; Prague; Vienna, 1935-1936
cat. no. 397 (Vienna), 254 (Bucarest)
pl. 1

British Art Exhibition: commemorative catalogue, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1934
cat. no. 1295
no. 559 ...Less

Inscriptions

Watermark: Watermark: centre: Strasburg lily above "4" above monogram "WR".

Inscription: v Eight

Inscription: The Goat was put among / ye Celest: signs by Jove / because he was suckld / by ye milk thereof / Castor & Pollux / ye same as Gemini / vid: Galer: p. 155 & / Hom:Odys: p 11th //

Inscription: Cehel ye arms / of Scorpio //

Inscription: 5

Inscription: (d)

Inscription: Gloir. des Princes

Inscription: Vict. attending_Fame_Prudence &c.

Inscription: Britania rewarding her generlls.

Inscription: 54 ftt

Inscription: French Slaves - Colours, Trophies &c / brought before Brittania - by her Genrlls: / Nept Lays his Trident at / her feet - &c //

Inscription: 14/28/76 [this crossed out]/ 56

Inscription: 4.10

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