There was an issue while attempting to download the image. Please try again later. If the problem persists, kindly contact us at gallery.collectionsonline@courtauld.ac.uk for further assistance.
You are permitted to reuse this image under a CC
BY-NC 4.0 Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
This license requires that users give appropriate credit. You are permitted to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for non-commercial purposes only.
BY: Credit must be given to the creator.
NC:Only non-commercial use of the work is permitted.
Non-commercial means not primarily intended for or directed towards commercial advantage or monetary compensation.
Can I use this work commercially? No, unless it is used in an academic project or publication with a print run of less than 3000 copies.
PLEASE SHARE WITH US HOW YOU PLAN TO USE THIS IMAGE
Please select an option:
LICENSING A HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGE
For information about obtaining a license and a higher-resolution image for use not listed above please visit The Courtauld Copyright Policy
Study for a demonic spirit (from Henry VI, Part II, Act I, Scene II)
Maker
1734-1802
Title
Date of Production
Medium
Dimensions
Width: 40.2 cm
Accession Number
Mode of Acquisition
Credit
Copyright
Location
Keywords
Related Works
Label Text
This drawing is one of several studies George Romney executed in preparation for paintings of scenes from Shakespeare plays. It was later sold by a bookseller, Walter T. Spencer (1863–1936), who also dabbled as a dealer of prints and drawings. Spencer would add signatures to drawings to augment their value. It seems Spencer genuinely believed this to be the work of William Blake, and added the false initials at lower right. Other spurious signatures on original drawings in The Courtauld collection can be traced back to Spencer.
Notes
Provenance
Previously suggested to have belonged to William A. Baillie-Grohman, London and Tyrol (1851-1921), but the "WB" inscription is not related to him - they are the forged initials of William Blake, added by Spencer.
Exhibition History
Courtauld Connects Regional Programme - Radical Drawing, Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry, 18/10/2019-19/01/2020
George Romney, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, England, 08/02/2002-21/04/2002; National Portrait Gallery, London, 30/05/2002-18/08/2002; Huntington Museum and Art Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA, 15/09/2002-01/12/2002 ...More
George Romney, Walker Art Gallery & Liverpool & England, 07/02/2002-28/04/2002
Shakespeare in Pictures, Ulster Museum, Belfast, 1964
Some British Drawings from the Collection of Sir Robert Witt, Arts Council of Great Britain, 1948 ...Less
Literature
no. 123
ill.
Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 40
Some British Drawings from the Collection of Sir Robert Witt, Arts Council of Great Britain, 1948
no. 63
Inscriptions
Inscription: Recto: lower right, grey wash, fake 'signature' of William Blake most likely added by Spencer: “W.B.”; lower left, graphite: "G. Romney". Verso: centre, brown ink: “No. 32”; lower right, graphite, Witt’s hand, attribution suggestions: “Romney R.D. / Fuseli Brayon [sp?]”; lower centre, graphite, Witt number: “584”.
Collector's mark: Verso: lower left corner, stamped in black: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).
Label: Detached from old mount, now kept separately from file: graphite: "1884 / of No 2 24 9 in B.M. / wh. is very similar".
Information on this object may be incomplete and will be updated as research progresses. We are particularly committed to addressing any discriminatory or offensive language and ideas that might be present in our records. To help improve this record, and to enquire about images of The Courtauld Gallery Collection, please email gallery.collectionsonline@courtauld.ac.uk. Find out more about using and licensing our images.
____________________________
