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Annunciation

Maker

(artist)
1547-1627

Title

Annunciation

Medium

pen and brown and gold inks on dark-brown-prepared paper, framed in an arch with dark brown lines, the upper corners of the sheet cut

Dimensions

Height: 47.5 cm
Width: 36.9 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.2852

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

Born and trained in Verona in a family workshop of painters, Ligozzi moved to Florence in 1577. This highly finished Annunciation is a splendid example of his drawing technique characterised by the preciousness and fastidious detail of manuscript illuminations: the gold heightening depicts the fall of celestial light from the Holy Spirit, throwing into chiaroscuro the windswept robes and curving wings of the angel, as well as the Virgin’s gesture of surprise and greeting.

Provenance

Howard; Robert Arthur Poole Davison (1857-1921), L.654b; Dr Alfred Scharf, London (1900-1965); purchased from him by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b, n.d.; Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

Drawings Gallery Display - Unseen, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 15/01/2015-29/03/2015

Drawings by Guercino and other Baroque Masters, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/02/1977-01/03/1977

Disegni Veronesi del Cinquecento, Istituto di Storia dell'Arte, Venice, 1971 (July) ...More

unnumbered typescript - title was possibly 'A Selection of Drawings from The Witt/Courtauld Collections [as exhibited in 1964 at University of Sussex, Falmer]', Nottingham University, 1966

Drawings from the Witt Collection at the Courtauld Institute of Art, St James's Square, London; York City Art Gallery; Peterborough Art Gallery, 1953

catalogue untraced, Eton College, 1950

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

Literature

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. 58

Inscriptions

Watermark: Watermark: centre, only visible in raking light due to thick media on recto: Srasburg lily above monogram "WR" adjacent to a name - can't make it out [see photo], but according to Churchill the Strasburg lily is a late 17th-18th century mark).

Inscription: Verso: centre, graphite: "Howard Coll."; lower left corner, graphite: "o/c/- / PG/PG/".

Collector's mark: Verso: lower left corner, stamped in black: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b); lower right, stamped in black: R.A.P. Davison (L.654b).

Stamp: Removed from the frame and now in the file: customs stamp from 1971 exhibition in Italy: purple stamp with city of Rome on a head, with stamped lettering: “ga / MERCI / DOGANA ITALIANA / VISITATE / 17198"..

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