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Allegory of the Arts, with Fame at the centre, Minerva dictating to History (?), Hercules, and at right Painting and Sculpture

Maker

(artist)
1600-1699

Formerly attributed to
(Artists)
active 1603 (active)

Formerly attributed to
(artist)
1546-1611

Title

Date of Production

(circa) 1600

Medium

black chalk, pen and brown ink, grey wash on laid paper, laid down

Dimensions

Height: 19.2 cm
Width: 19.5 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.2563

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 represents Minerva, the Roman Goddess of the arts, wisdom and war, presiding over painting, sculpture and drawing. Shown wearing a helmet and a flowing mantle, she points to the sky, indicating the divine origin of inspiration. In the centre stands the nude winged figure of Fame who, holding a trumpet that mimics Minerva’s gesture and another that extends to the right, unites both sides of the composition.

Provenance

Josef Carl von Klinkosch, Vienna (1822-1888); Alfred von Wurzbach-Tannengberg, Vienna (1845-1915), L.2587; Stefan von Licht, Vienna (1880-1932), L.789b; his sale, Hugo Helbing (Frankfurt), 7 December 1927, lot 325 (as by Spranger); E. Parsons & Sons (London); purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b, n.d. (10 shillings); Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

Special Display - German drawings, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 21/06/2007-23/09/2007

Inscriptions

Watermark: Watermarks: none in the drawing. Backing sheet: Verso, left centre: looks like “WOLPLG” though unclear due to double layer of paper.

Inscription: Verso (backing sheet): upper left, graphite: “Part of artist / VOSS //”; lower left, graphite, Witt number: “J.v. Acken / RW 2563 //”; lower left, graphite, erased: “Ca[...]”; lower left corner, graphite: “Coll. Klinkosch / 169 / 969 //”; lower centre, graphite, erased: “[...] Av 1700 [?]”; lower right edge, graphite, circled: “D. 1594.”.

Label: Artist's name (given as Johann or Hans von Aachen) and dates, collectors.

Collector's mark: Verso: lower left corner, stamped in black ink: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b); lower left, stamped in brown ink: Stefan von Licht (L.789b, but much smaller); lower left edge, stamped in purple ink: Alfred Ritter von Wurzbach - Tannenberg (L.2587).

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