Open IIIF manifest What is IIIF IIIF viewers

Comparative studies of human and animal heads

Maker

(artist)
1757-1827

Title

Date of Production

(circa) 1825

Medium

graphite, pen and brown ink, watercolour on laid paper, laid down on a historic support

Dimensions

Height: 22.9 cm
Width: 18.3 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.2910

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

Animal and human profiles are here shown in pairs as specimens of physiognomy, the pseudo-scientific study of a person’s character as determined by his or her physical features. Rowlandson executed several similar drawings to illustrate a publication on comparative anatomy, which never materialised. Playing on the connection between society caricatures and their animal counterparts, the inscription refers to the Pythagorean belief that human souls could be reincarnated in animal bodies.

Notes

The same long inscription is found on at least 2 other drawings by Rowlandson, both of a man and a boar (Houghton Album f.57 and BM Album 1885,1212.182-244, f.7). A nearly identical page to this (though with 2 different inscriptions) is also in the Houghton Album (MS Typ 100.1). The watermark of this sheet is dated 1822. The Courtauld sheet was dated circa 1825 in 'Watercolours & Drawings 18th & 19th centuries' [exhibition 17 Nov - 10 Dec 2004, Lowell Lisbon Ltd, Clifford Press].

Provenance

Louis Deglatigny, Rouen (1854-1936), L.1768a; his estate sale, Sotheby's (London), 11 May 1938, lot 59 (with 14 others); purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b, along with D.1952.RW.2909, 2911 and 2914 (4 shillings each); Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

Drawings Gallery Display - Reading Drawings, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 21/01/2017-04/06/2017

Captured on Paper, Animals in the Prints and Drawings Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 20/06/2002-11/08/2002

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

Literature

Watercolours and drawings, 18th and 19th centuries, Lowell Libson, Ltd., 2004
under no. 11, p. 24

Hayes, John, Rowlandson: Watercolours and Drawings, London, 1972
fig. 59 on p. 58

Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 42 ...More

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. 34 ...Less

Inscriptions

Watermark: Watermark: Recto, right centre: "WDWELLS / 1822".

Inscription: Recto: upper left, brown ink: "Swan"; upper right, brown ink: "cranes"; right centre, brown ink: "Casheware"; lower centre, brown ink: "Amongst the numerous religions in the World, there is one / which teaches us that the souls of human beings pass into the / bodies of other animals__ Pythagoreans__". Verso (obscured by support, only visible via transmitted light): centre, graphite, circled: "2264"; lower right, graphite: "#9". Support (historic), Recto: lower left edge, graphite: "2264".

Collector's mark: Recto: lower left corner, stamped in red: Louis Deglatigny (L.1768a). Support (historic), Recto: lower left, stamped in black: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b)

Information on this object may be incomplete and will be updated as research progresses. We are particularly committed to addressing any discriminatory or offensive language and ideas that might be present in our records. To help improve this record, and to enquire about images of The Courtauld Gallery Collection, please email gallery.collectionsonline@courtauld.ac.uk. Find out more about using and licensing our images.

____________________________

Buy a print from our collection