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Design for a sculptured altarpiece

Maker

(artist)
1600-1699

Formerly attributed to
(artist)
1600-1699

Title

Date of Production

1600-1699

Medium

graphite, pen and brown ink, watercolour on laid paper, cut out along the contours of the drawing and laid down on a page from an album, along with D.1952.RW.3719.2

Dimensions

Height: 19.7 cm
Width: 12.5 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.3719.1

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 served as a model for an elaborately framed wall decoration, depicting an antique or biblical military scene, not yet identified. Rigid lines demarcate the architectural setting, while looser contours indicate the painting’s subject. Pink and blue watercolour designates areas of relief and creates marbled effects. This drawing was mounted together with another design (D.1952.RW.3719.2), which provides detailed measurements for a column and its base, by an early collector. Both of the designs reflect the influence of classical architecture on German artists of the late 16th century, either experienced first-hand or through illustrated treatises.

Provenance

Efim Schapiro, London (1899-1977); acquired from him (in exchange for Witt's drawing no. 2415) by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b, n.d.; Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

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

Inscriptions

Watermark: Watermark: centre: a small cross? Difficult to see due to support.

Collector's mark: Support (page from an album), Recto: lower left, stamped in black ink: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).

Inscription: Recto: within the drawing, lower left above eagle, graphite: “T”; lower right above dove, graphite: “H” and to the lower left of that: “A”. Support (page from an album), Recto: upper right, brown ink: “4”; lower left corner, graphite, Witt number: “3719”.

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