Spectators watching a performing bear
Maker
(artist)
1745-1830
1745-1830
Title
Spectators watching a performing bear
Date of Production
1700 - 1899
Medium
red and black chalk, pen and brown ink, grey-blue wash on laid paper, with brown ink framing lines, laid down on a page of printed French text, hinged at the top to a historic support
Dimensions
Height: 14.4 cm
Width: 19.5 cm
Width: 19.5 cm
Accession Number
D.1952.RW.4189
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
Provenance
anonymous sale, Sotheby's (London), 22 June 1949, lot 30 (with two others); purchased there by Colnaghi (London) on behalf of Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b (£9 for all three); Witt Bequest 1952
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: unable to check due to backing sheet.
Collector's mark: Verso (backing sheet): lower left edge, stamped in black ink: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).
Inscription: Verso (backing sheet): printed text in two columns: “au climat du bouchet, contrée de fontaine-dessalée […] coupe, ci 30 arp, 6,1 perch. […]” [not fully transcribed, text not found online]; lower left, between text columns, graphite: “#2”; lower left, between text columns, partly erased: “5 x 6[…]”. Support (historic), Recto: lower right corner, graphite: “#2”.
Collector's mark: Verso (backing sheet): lower left edge, stamped in black ink: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).
Inscription: Verso (backing sheet): printed text in two columns: “au climat du bouchet, contrée de fontaine-dessalée […] coupe, ci 30 arp, 6,1 perch. […]” [not fully transcribed, text not found online]; lower left, between text columns, graphite: “#2”; lower left, between text columns, partly erased: “5 x 6[…]”. Support (historic), Recto: lower right corner, graphite: “#2”.
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