Wooded landscape with herdsman driving cattle over a bridge, and a ruined castle
Maker
(artist)
1727-1788
1727-1788
Title
Wooded landscape with herdsman driving cattle over a bridge, and a ruined castle
Date of Production
(circa) 1781
Medium
black wash, black chalk, lead white on brown laid paper, laid down, cut into an oval [lead white flouresces purple under UV]
Dimensions
Height: 28.5 cm
Width: 35.1 cm
Width: 35.1 cm
Accession Number
D.1952.RW.4181
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
Gainsborough drew innumerable monochrome landscape compositions, loosely derived from the English countryside and sometimes aided by items such as broccoli and glass arranged to simulate trees and water in his studio. He was experimental in his use of media too, describing to a friend his use of white lead fixed with skimmed milk to heighten his drawings. This drawing is either a study for, or a revision of, an oval painting exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1781 and is also related to a soft-ground etching published by J. & J. Boydell in 1797.
Provenance
Susannah Gardiner, the artist's sister (d. 1818); by descent to Miss R.H. Green; her sale, Christie's (London), 1 April 1949, lot 34; purchased there by Colnaghi (London); purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), 27 April 1949, for £100; Witt Bequest 1952
Exhibition History
The Witt Collection - Four centuries of drawings, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/04/2004-20/06/2004
Thomas Gainsborough, Tate Britain, London, 24/10/2002-19/01/2003
Thomas Gainsborough, Ferrara & Italy, 07/06/1998-30/08/1998 ...More
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 16/10/1991-19/01/1992
Gainsborough the printmaker, Peter Pears Gallery, Aldeburgh, 11/06/1988-03/07/1988
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/09/1986-30/11/1986; The Drawing Center, New York, 08/04/1986-26/07/1986
Angelika Kauffmann und ihre Zeitgenossen, Vorarlberger Landesmuseum, Bregenz and Osterreichisches Museum fur angewandte Kunst, Vienna, 23/07/1968-01/02/1969
English Landscape Drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/01/1965-01/05/1965
Landscapes by Thomas Gainsborough, Nottingham University Art Gallery, 01/11/1962-25/11/1962
Gainsborough drawings, London; York City Art Gallery; four other venues, 1960-61
Exhibition of Old Master Drawings, Colnaghi, London, 28/04/1949-31/05/1949 ...Less
Thomas Gainsborough, Tate Britain, London, 24/10/2002-19/01/2003
Thomas Gainsborough, Ferrara & Italy, 07/06/1998-30/08/1998 ...More
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 16/10/1991-19/01/1992
Gainsborough the printmaker, Peter Pears Gallery, Aldeburgh, 11/06/1988-03/07/1988
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/09/1986-30/11/1986; The Drawing Center, New York, 08/04/1986-26/07/1986
Angelika Kauffmann und ihre Zeitgenossen, Vorarlberger Landesmuseum, Bregenz and Osterreichisches Museum fur angewandte Kunst, Vienna, 23/07/1968-01/02/1969
English Landscape Drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/01/1965-01/05/1965
Landscapes by Thomas Gainsborough, Nottingham University Art Gallery, 01/11/1962-25/11/1962
Gainsborough drawings, London; York City Art Gallery; four other venues, 1960-61
Exhibition of Old Master Drawings, Colnaghi, London, 28/04/1949-31/05/1949 ...Less
Literature
Gainsborough, Tate Gallery, 2002
no. 160
Christie's, British Drawings & Watercolours, London, 8 June 1999
no. 114
Thomas Gainsborough, Palazzo dei Diamanti, Ferrara, 1998
no. 71
ill. on p. 204 ...More
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1991
cat. no. 34
pp. 76, 180
ill. on p. 77
Derow, Jonathan P., 'Gainsborough's Varnished Watercolor Technique' in 'Master Drawings', 1989 - 259-71
p. 264
pl. 16
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1986
cat. no. 91
ill. on p. 207
Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
no. 89, pp. 73-74
ill. on p. 92
Hayes, John, The Landscape paintings of Thomas Gainsborough, London, 1982
under no. 128
Hayes, John, Gainsborough as printmaker, London 1971
under no. 11
pl. 66
Hayes, John, The Drawings of Thomas Gainsborough, London 1970
no. 498 and on pp. 38, 45, 62, 223-24
pl. 288
Angelika Kauffmann und ihre Zeitgenossen, Vorarlberger Landesmuseum, Bregenz and Osterreichisches Museum fur angewandte Kunst, Vienna, 1968 / 1969
cat. no. 240
no. 240
English Landscape Drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1965
cat. no. 8
Gainsborough drawings, London; York City Art Gallery; four other venues, 1960-61
cat. no. 37
Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 22 ...Less
no. 160
Christie's, British Drawings & Watercolours, London, 8 June 1999
no. 114
Thomas Gainsborough, Palazzo dei Diamanti, Ferrara, 1998
no. 71
ill. on p. 204 ...More
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1991
cat. no. 34
pp. 76, 180
ill. on p. 77
Derow, Jonathan P., 'Gainsborough's Varnished Watercolor Technique' in 'Master Drawings', 1989 - 259-71
p. 264
pl. 16
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1986
cat. no. 91
ill. on p. 207
Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
no. 89, pp. 73-74
ill. on p. 92
Hayes, John, The Landscape paintings of Thomas Gainsborough, London, 1982
under no. 128
Hayes, John, Gainsborough as printmaker, London 1971
under no. 11
pl. 66
Hayes, John, The Drawings of Thomas Gainsborough, London 1970
no. 498 and on pp. 38, 45, 62, 223-24
pl. 288
Angelika Kauffmann und ihre Zeitgenossen, Vorarlberger Landesmuseum, Bregenz and Osterreichisches Museum fur angewandte Kunst, Vienna, 1968 / 1969
cat. no. 240
no. 240
English Landscape Drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1965
cat. no. 8
Gainsborough drawings, London; York City Art Gallery; four other venues, 1960-61
cat. no. 37
Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 22 ...Less
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: unable to check due to thick backing sheet.
Inscription: none.
Collector's mark: none.
Inscription: none.
Collector's mark: none.
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