Sheet of figure studies for 'The Judgment of Paris'
Maker
(artist)
1625-1713
Formerly attributed to
(artist)
1619-1690
1625-1713
Formerly attributed to
(artist)
1619-1690
Title
Sheet of figure studies for 'The Judgment of Paris'
Date of Production
(circa) 1661
Medium
red, black and white chalk on buff laid paper, with black chalk framing lines
Dimensions
Height: 27.1 cm
Width: 41.7 cm
Width: 41.7 cm
Accession Number
D.1952.RW.507
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
Notes
A preparatory study for the painting The Judgment of Paris, executed in collaboration with the landscape painter Gaspar Dughet (1615-1675), now housed in the Galleria Colonna, Rome. The painting was commissioned by the prince Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna (1637-1689), ‘Gran Connestabile’ of the Naples Kingdom, on the occasion of his marriage in 1661 with Maria Mancini, niece of cardinal Giulio Mazzarino (1602-1661), who arranged this union in order to ban the beautiful Maria from Paris and from the French Court, as young Louis XIV had fallen in love with her. It must have been Prince Colonna who suggested the iconography, as he wanted to be presented as Paris, while he chose for himself the most beautiful of the goddesses, Venus, resembling the nude Mancini.
Provenance
F.R. Meatyard (London); purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b, n.d. (£1.05, as by le Brun); Witt Bequest 1952
Exhibition History
Special Display - The Grid, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 26/01/2012-28/05/2012
Literature
Rodinò, Simonetta Prosperi Valenti, 'Two Drawings by Carlo Maratti in the Courtauld Gallery, London' in 'Master Drawings', Winter 2021 - pp. 467-98; LIX, 4
pp. 467-68, 470-73
Illus. no. 4
pp. 467-68, 470-73
Illus. no. 4
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: centre: oval containing a cross above “IHS” (no exact match found in Heawood or Piccard).
Inscription: Verso: lower right corner, graphite: “ms/”.
Collector's mark: Verso: lower right corner, stamped in black ink: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).
Inscription: Verso: lower right corner, graphite: “ms/”.
Collector's mark: Verso: lower right corner, stamped in black ink: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).
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