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Destruction of the Holy Sites

Maker

(artist)
1532-1603

Title

Date of Production

1582

Medium

black chalk, pen and brown ink, brown wash, traces of white bodycolour, on laid paper, with brown ink framing lines, incised for transfer, on a historic support

Dimensions

Height: 20.2 cm
Width: 27.1 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.570

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 elaborately drawn composition was engraved by Hieronymus Wierix for a print series depicting the Sorrows of the World. Once erroneously regarded as the demolition of Jerusalem, de Vos’s image in fact shows the destruction of holy sites as recounted in the Biblical Gospels.

Provenance

Dr Edward Peart, London and Butterwick (1756/58-1824), L.891; possibly his sale, Christie's, 12-24 April 1822, fourth day, lots 14, 17 or 141 (all listed as 'one M. de Vos'); Barker Ave (?), 29 April 1842; Frederick Richard Meatyard, London (1881-1966); purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b, n.d. (£2.55); Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

Drawings Gallery Display - Traces: Renaissance Drawings for Flemish Prints, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 18/06/2022-25/09/2022

Flemish drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, October 1977-January 1978

Literature

Shoaf, Jane V., ‘A Seventeenth-Century Album of Drawings by Marten de Vos’, Master Drawings, 18, 3, Autumn 1980, pp. 237-252, 295-311
pp. 240, 248 under 'folio 18'

Flemish drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, October 1977- January 1978
cat. no. 3

Mielke, Hans, ‘Antwerpener Graphik in der 2. Hälfte des 16. Jahrhunderts: Der Thesaurus veteris et novi Testamenti des Gerard de Jode (1585) und seine Künstler’ in 'Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte', 1975 - pp. 29-83; 38, 1
pp. 34-35
ill. as no. 5 on p. 35 ...More

Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 132 ...Less

Inscriptions

Watermark: Support (historic), Verso: lower centre edge, fragment of a large ornate shield, possibly a fleur-de-lis (as suggested by Peter Bower).

Collector's mark: Recto: lower left corner, brown ink partially gone over in white bodycolour: Edward Peart (L.891). Support (historic), Recto: lower left corner, stamped in black ink: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).

Inscription: Recto: lower left edge, brown ink, signed and dated by the artist: "MD•VOS F• 1582•". Support (historic), Recto: upper left corner, brown ink: "D1590"; upper right corner, graphite: "51"; lower left, graphite: "986"; lower centre, graphite: arrow pointing up at signature / "The Destruction of Jerusalem / 30"; lower right, graphite: "Coll. E. Peart"; lower right, graphite, underlined: "+4"; lower right edge, brown ink: "M. deVos 1582.". Support (historic), Verso: lower centre, graphite: "ce/ / Barker Ave 986 / April 29 / 1842"; lower left corner, red ink: "No. 275”.

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