Twelve small heads and a female figure
Maker
(artist)
ca. 1594-1647 (Life dates)
Formerly attributed to
(artist)
1565-1617
ca. 1594-1647 (Life dates)
Formerly attributed to
(artist)
1565-1617
Title
Twelve small heads and a female figure
Date of Production
(circa) 1610
Medium
pen and black ink on laid paper, cut into an uneven octagon, hinged onto a historic mount with the other four drawings in the series
Dimensions
Height: 4.7 cm
Width: 5.7 cm
Width: 5.7 cm
Accession Number
D.1952.RW.2390.3
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
These finely detailed studies are among the earliest British drawings in The Courtauld’s collection. Their small scale and delicacy of execution reflect Isaac Oliver’s training as a miniature painter. Although trained in England, the French-born Oliver brought a new Continental influence to British art. His subject matter and style, especially the distinctive use of pen and ink, were strongly informed by the Italian Renaissance artist Parmigianino, whose prints and drawings he admired. Two of the drawings are the work of his son, Peter, also a miniaturist.
Provenance
Sidney Herbert, Earl of Pembroke (1853-1913); William A. Clark, New York (1839-1925); Edelheimer sale, New York, 1919; Barclay; purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), n.d. (£5.25 for D.1952.RW.2390.1-.5); Witt Bequest 1952 The provenance comes from the Witt index card, with the Edelheimer sale added in pencil.
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
Master Drawings of the 17th century from the Witt Collection, Art Gallery of South Australia, Festival Exhibitions, Adelaide, 1968 ...More
Age of Shakespeare, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, 1964 (May)
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
Exhibition of Stuart Drawings, Red Lodge, Bristol, 12/06/1952-12/07/1952
Three Centuries of British Watercolours and Drawings, Arts Council of Great Britain, London, 1951
Nicholas Hilliard and Issac Oliver, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1947
Old Masters from the Witt Collection, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 01/01/1943-01/05/1943
catalogue untraced, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 1932 ...Less
The Witt Collection - Four centuries of drawings, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/04/2004-20/06/2004
Master Drawings of the 17th century from the Witt Collection, Art Gallery of South Australia, Festival Exhibitions, Adelaide, 1968 ...More
Age of Shakespeare, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, 1964 (May)
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
Exhibition of Stuart Drawings, Red Lodge, Bristol, 12/06/1952-12/07/1952
Three Centuries of British Watercolours and Drawings, Arts Council of Great Britain, London, 1951
Nicholas Hilliard and Issac Oliver, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1947
Old Masters from the Witt Collection, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 01/01/1943-01/05/1943
catalogue untraced, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 1932 ...Less
Literature
Wood, Jeremy, 'Peter Oliver at the Court of Charles I: New Drawings and Documents' in 'Master Drawings', Summer 1998 - 123-53; XXXVI, no. 2
p. 133
fig. 14
see attached PDF
Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
cat. no. 52
ill. on p. 60
As a group comprised of D.1952.RW.2390.1-5
Finstein, Jill, Isaac Oliver : art at the court of Elizabeth I and James I, 2 vols. [originally the author's PhD thesis, Harvard, 1979], New York 1981
no. 203
dated c. 1610 ...More
Drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1958 - 1959
cat. no. 46
Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 37
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. 30
Exhibition of Stuart Drawings, Red Lodge, Bristol, 1952
cat. no. 44
Three Centuries of British Watercolours and Drawings, Arts Council of Great Britain, London, 1951
cat. no. 121
Nicholas Hilliard and Isaac Oliver, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 1947
no. 201
pl. XLVII
Strong, S.A., Catalogue of the Pembroke Collection, 1900-02
no. 66
ill. ...Less
p. 133
fig. 14
see attached PDF
Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
cat. no. 52
ill. on p. 60
As a group comprised of D.1952.RW.2390.1-5
Finstein, Jill, Isaac Oliver : art at the court of Elizabeth I and James I, 2 vols. [originally the author's PhD thesis, Harvard, 1979], New York 1981
no. 203
dated c. 1610 ...More
Drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1958 - 1959
cat. no. 46
Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 37
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. 30
Exhibition of Stuart Drawings, Red Lodge, Bristol, 1952
cat. no. 44
Three Centuries of British Watercolours and Drawings, Arts Council of Great Britain, London, 1951
cat. no. 121
Nicholas Hilliard and Isaac Oliver, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 1947
no. 201
pl. XLVII
Strong, S.A., Catalogue of the Pembroke Collection, 1900-02
no. 66
ill. ...Less
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: Mount (historic): centre: Strasburg lily above "4" above monogram "WR" (no countermark to help identify with the numerous examples in Churchill and Heawood).
Label: Mount (removed, cut down and now in object file): printed in black: "JAMES BOURLET & SONS Ltd., / Fine Art Packers, Frame Makers. / F32704 / 17 & 18, NASSAU STREET, / MORTIMER STREET, W. / Phones: --MUSEUM 1871 & 7588".
Collector's mark: none.
Inscription: Mount (historic), Recto: lower left edge, brown ink: "Isa: Oliver.". Mount (removed, recorded in file), Recto: lower left, pen and ink: "Isa: Oliver. From the Pembroke, Barclay and W.A.Clarke collections."
Label: Mount (removed, cut down and now in object file): printed in black: "JAMES BOURLET & SONS Ltd., / Fine Art Packers, Frame Makers. / F32704 / 17 & 18, NASSAU STREET, / MORTIMER STREET, W. / Phones: --MUSEUM 1871 & 7588".
Collector's mark: none.
Inscription: Mount (historic), Recto: lower left edge, brown ink: "Isa: Oliver.". Mount (removed, recorded in file), Recto: lower left, pen and ink: "Isa: Oliver. From the Pembroke, Barclay and W.A.Clarke collections."
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