Alpine landscape
Maker
(artist)
active late 16th or early 17th century (Life dates)
Formerly attributed to
(artist)
1525-1569
active late 16th or early 17th century (Life dates)
Formerly attributed to
(artist)
1525-1569
Title
Alpine landscape
Date of Production
(circa?) 1575 - 1625
Medium
pen and brown ink on laid paper, laid down
Dimensions
Height: 24.8 cm
Width: 43 cm
Width: 43 cm
Accession Number
D.1978.PG.315
Mode of Acquisition
Count Antoine Seilern, bequest, 1978
Credit
The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)
Copyright
Work in the public domain
Location
Not currently on display
Keywords
Label Text
The vertiginous slopes and minute church steeple on the horizon underscore the perils of the journey across the Alps. This drawing is from a group of twenty mountain scenes once considered testimony of Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s experience in the Alps on his way to Italy. Long considered core works by the master, they were reattributed in 1996. Watermarks on the paper combined with stylistic analysis show that these works date from at least fifteen years after Bruegel’s death.
Provenance
Mr T.P. Huggill (d. 1957), 1920s?; by descent to his widow, Mrs G.M.W. Huggill; her sale, Sotheby's (London), 27 November 1957, lot 37 (as Bruegel the Elder); purchased there by Colnaghi (London) on behalf of Count Antoine Seilern, London (1901-1978) (£7,350); Princes Gate Bequest 1952 A 1957 newspaper article in the file states that Mrs Huggill found this sheet in a parcel of 80 drawings that her husband had owned for "more than thirty years".
Exhibition History
Drawings Gallery Display - Bruegel / Not Bruegel, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 16/01/2016-17/04/2016
Mantegna to Cezanne - Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 24/02/1983-19/06/1983
Mantegna to Cezanne - Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 24/02/1983-19/06/1983
Literature
Mielke, Hans, Pieter Bruegel: die Zeichnungen, Turnhout 1996
no. A 4 on p. 76
as Savery; in file
Mielke, Hans, 'Noch einmal zum Problem von Pieter Bruegels Landschaftszeichnungen' in 'Münchner Jahrbuch der bildenden Kunst', 1991 - pp. 137-47
pp. 140-41
fig. 5 on p. 141
Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
no. 18 on p. 18
ill. on p. 30
in file ...More
Oberhuber, Konrad, 'Bruegel's early landscape drawings' in 'Master Drawings', 1981 - pp. 146-56; XIX
p. 149
pl. 22
in file for PG.9
'Des dessins de Pierre Bruegel l'Ancien' in 'Bruegel: une dynastie de peintres', Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, 1980
p. 65
in file for PG.9
Seilern, Count Antoine, Flemish paintings and drawings at 56 Princes Gate, London SW7. Addenda, London 1969; IV
no. 315
pl. XXVIII
in file
Münz, Ludwig, Bruegel: the drawings, London 1961
App.2 on p. 240
App.2
Addenda by Luke Herrmann - drawings attributed to Bruegel, first published since Münz's death
de Tolnay, Charles, 'Remarques sur quelques dessins de Bruegel l'ancien et sur un dessin de Bosch récemment réapparus' in 'Bulletin Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique', Sept. 1960 - pp. 3-28; 1/2
pp. 9ff
ill.
Grossmann, F., Encyclopedia of World Art, New York, Toronto and London 1960
p. 638
Grossmann, F., 'New Light on Bruegel. I: Documents and Additions to the "Oeuvre"; Problems of Form' in 'Burlington Magazine', 1959 - pp. 338, 341-47; 101, 678
p. 345
'"Leakage" of art sale details' in 'The Manchester Guardian', 10 Dec. 1957
p. 5
in file
Sotheby's, London, 27 November 1957, Old master drawings and paintings
lot 37 [or 37a?]
ill.
as the property of Mrs G.M.W. Huggill ...Less
no. A 4 on p. 76
as Savery; in file
Mielke, Hans, 'Noch einmal zum Problem von Pieter Bruegels Landschaftszeichnungen' in 'Münchner Jahrbuch der bildenden Kunst', 1991 - pp. 137-47
pp. 140-41
fig. 5 on p. 141
Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
no. 18 on p. 18
ill. on p. 30
in file ...More
Oberhuber, Konrad, 'Bruegel's early landscape drawings' in 'Master Drawings', 1981 - pp. 146-56; XIX
p. 149
pl. 22
in file for PG.9
'Des dessins de Pierre Bruegel l'Ancien' in 'Bruegel: une dynastie de peintres', Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, 1980
p. 65
in file for PG.9
Seilern, Count Antoine, Flemish paintings and drawings at 56 Princes Gate, London SW7. Addenda, London 1969; IV
no. 315
pl. XXVIII
in file
Münz, Ludwig, Bruegel: the drawings, London 1961
App.2 on p. 240
App.2
Addenda by Luke Herrmann - drawings attributed to Bruegel, first published since Münz's death
de Tolnay, Charles, 'Remarques sur quelques dessins de Bruegel l'ancien et sur un dessin de Bosch récemment réapparus' in 'Bulletin Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique', Sept. 1960 - pp. 3-28; 1/2
pp. 9ff
ill.
Grossmann, F., Encyclopedia of World Art, New York, Toronto and London 1960
p. 638
Grossmann, F., 'New Light on Bruegel. I: Documents and Additions to the "Oeuvre"; Problems of Form' in 'Burlington Magazine', 1959 - pp. 338, 341-47; 101, 678
p. 345
'"Leakage" of art sale details' in 'The Manchester Guardian', 10 Dec. 1957
p. 5
in file
Sotheby's, London, 27 November 1957, Old master drawings and paintings
lot 37 [or 37a?]
ill.
as the property of Mrs G.M.W. Huggill ...Less
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: none.
Inscription: Recto: lower left corner, brown ink, false signature and date?: "p. bruegel 1547". Verso (backing sheet): upper centre edge, brown ink, last two letters superscript, 19th-century hand?: “Devonre”; upper right edge, graphite: “No 1”; centre, brown ink: “View on the Rhine Hemskirk”; centre, brown ink: “M. No. 21” [not on Lugt].
Collector's mark: none.
Inscription: Recto: lower left corner, brown ink, false signature and date?: "p. bruegel 1547". Verso (backing sheet): upper centre edge, brown ink, last two letters superscript, 19th-century hand?: “Devonre”; upper right edge, graphite: “No 1”; centre, brown ink: “View on the Rhine Hemskirk”; centre, brown ink: “M. No. 21” [not on Lugt].
Collector's mark: none.
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