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Two men in conversation

Maker

Workshop of
Francesco Squarcione (artist)
1395-1468

Title

Medium

black chalk, pen and brown ink, brown wash, white bodycolour, on grey-prepared paper, on a historic mount

Dimensions

Height: 26.7 cm
Width: 19.9 cm

Accession Number

D.1958.WF.4670

Mode of Acquisition

Witt Fund, purchase, 1958

Credit

The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Copyright

Work in the public domain

Location

Not currently on display

Keywords

Label Text

This drawing responds to a flourishing interest in classical antiquity in the mid-fifteenth century. The so-called chiaroscuro technique that uses wash and white heightening on a coloured paper creates a sculptural feel that emulates classical reliefs, which were being studied and collected in northern Italy at this time. The leading workshop in the city of Padua was run by Francesco Squarcione, and this study was probably produced by one of his many pupils.

Provenance

unidentified collector (not in Lugt, similar to L.2727); John Skippe (1741-1812), associated with unidentified collector's mark L.2798; presumably acquired by him in Italy between 1773 and 1781; presumably by descent to his sister, Penelope Martin; by descent to her son, James Martin; by descent to Edward Holland (d. 1916); by descent to his sister, Mrs J. Rayner-Wood; by descent to Edward Holland-Martin; his sale, Christie's (London), 20 - 21 November 1958, lot 206; purchased there by Colnaghi (London) on behalf of The Courtauld via the Witt Fund (£504)

Exhibition History

Drawings Gallery Display - Unseen, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 15/01/2015-29/03/2015

Italian Old Master drawings. Witt Collection, Courtauld Gallery, The National Art Gallery of New Zealand, Wellington, 1970

Newly Acquired Drawings for the Witt Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1965-1966

Literature

Newly Acquired Drawings for the Witt Collection, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1965-1966
cat. no. 2
pl. I

Italian Old Master drawings. Witt Collection, Courtauld Gallery, The National Art Gallery of New Zealand, Wellington, 1970
cat. no. 1
ill. on p. 9

Inscriptions

Watermark: unable to check due to mount.

Inscription: Mount (historic), Recto: lower centre, graphite: “PADUAN SCHOOL, XV CENT.”. Mount (historic), Verso: upper right edge, graphite, Witt number: “4670”.

Collector's mark: Recto: lower right corner, stamped in gold: unidentified collector (L.2798); lower right corner, stamped in black ink: unidentified collector (not in Lugt – similar to L.2727, also unidentified).

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