Open IIIF manifest What is IIIF IIIF viewers

Hand studies for Duchess of Cleveland

Maker

(artist)
1618-1680

Title

Date of Production

(circa) 1665 - 1670

Medium

black and white chalk on brown laid paper

Dimensions

Height: 27.2 cm
Width: 23.9 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.849

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

In this graceful preparatory drawing, Lely uses the sheet to study the positioning of hands in a finished portrait. The hands and drapery, composed of black chalk outlines with white heightening, demonstrate Lely’s skill in achieving broad handling through economical means. Faint lines beneath the left hand offer some suggestion of another proposed attribute of the finished painting, perhaps a classical urn.

Provenance

Peter Lely (1618-1680), L.2092 (lower centre); probably his estate sale, Sonnius, Lankrink and Thompson (Covent Garden), 11-18 April 1688; Thomas Hudson, London (1701-1779), L.2432 (lower left); possibly his estate sale, Langford (Covent Garden), 15-27 March 1779, first night's sale, lot 2 (thirty-four studies by Sir Peter Lely &c) or lot 6 (sixteen studies by Lely and Riley); E. Parsons & Sons (London); purchased there by Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952), L.2228b (verso, lower right), n.d. (£1.4); Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

Special Display - Peter Lely - The Draughtsman and his Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 24/09/2012-13/01/2013

Sir Peter Lely, National Portrait Gallery, London, 17/11/1978-18/03/1979

Exhibition of Stuart Drawings, Red Lodge, Bristol, 12/06/1952-12/07/1952

Literature

Sir Peter Lely, National Portrait Gallery, 1979, 1978
no. 68

Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 32

Exhibition of Stuart Drawings, Red Lodge, Bristol, 1952
cat. no. 35

Inscriptions

Watermark: Watermark: none.

Inscription: Verso: lower left, graphite, Witt number: "849".

Collector's mark: Recto: lower left, stamped in black: Thomas Hudson (L.2432); lower centre edge, stamped in black: Peter Lely (L.2092). Verso: lower right corner, stamped in black: Sir Robert Witt (L.2228b).

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.

____________________________

Buy a print from our collection