Venus disarming Cupid
Maker
(artist)
1503-1540
1503-1540
Title
Venus disarming Cupid
Date of Production
1527 - 1530
Medium
black chalk and white bodycolour on paper prepared with a light red chalk wash, with graphite added in pubic region, laid down
Dimensions
Height: 17.4 cm
Width: 14 cm
Width: 14 cm
Accession Number
D.1978.PG.364
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 scene is taken from an episode in Ovid’s 'Metamorphoses', in which Cupid accidently shoots his mother Venus with an arrow, causing her to fall in love with the mortal Adonis. The furious Venus then disarms her son for causing her to suffer the torments of love. Parmigianino executed at least six studies of this composition, experimenting with different positions for the figures’ arms, striving for a balance of dynamic movement and contrapposto. The pink-coloured paper provides a tonal gradation that creates a chiaroscuro effect.
Provenance
probably Nathaniel Hillier, London (1707-1783) [accords with no. 88 in his inventory in the British Museum, M. 8.3]; Sir Joshua Reynolds, London (1723-1792), L.2364 (lower left); John Brophy (1899-1965); purchased from him by Colnaghi (London), 4 February 1960; purchased there by Count Antoine Seilern, London (1901-1978), 5 February 1960 (£1,400); Princes Gate Bequest 1978
Exhibition History
Drawings Gallery Display - The Art of Experiment: Parmigianino at The Courtauld, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/05/2022-06/05/2022
Drawings Gallery Display - Renaissance Modern, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 22/04/2015-07/06/2015 ...More
Narrative Folds (Pop-up exhibition), The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/06/2013-01/06/2013
Parmigianino - Paintings, Drawings, Prints, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 14/05/1987-12/07/1987
The Princes Gate Collection - Drawings (Selection A), The Courtauld Gallery, London, 17/07/1981-26/01/1982
Exhibition of Old Master drawings, Colnaghi, London, 28/04/1960-28/05/1960 ...Less
Drawings Gallery Display - Renaissance Modern, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 22/04/2015-07/06/2015 ...More
Narrative Folds (Pop-up exhibition), The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/06/2013-01/06/2013
Parmigianino - Paintings, Drawings, Prints, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 14/05/1987-12/07/1987
The Princes Gate Collection - Drawings (Selection A), The Courtauld Gallery, London, 17/07/1981-26/01/1982
Exhibition of Old Master drawings, Colnaghi, London, 28/04/1960-28/05/1960 ...Less
Literature
The Art of Experiment: Parmigianino at The Courtauld, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 2022
cat. no. 18
and on p. 106
ill. on p. 103, IRR is fig. 87 on p. 173
Gnann, Achim, Parmigianino: Die Zeichnungen, Petersberg 2007
vol. I, p. 227 and vol. II, no. 675
ill.
De la Renaissance à l'age baroque: une collection de dessins italiens pour les musées de France, Musée du Louvre, Paris, 8 June - 29 August 2005, 2005
p. 123 under no. 82
author: Cordellier ...More
Christie's, London, Old master drawings, 6 July 1999
p. 20 under lot 17
Parmigianino - Paintings, Drawings, Prints, Courtauld, London, 1987
cat. no. 20
Leonardo to Van Gogh. Master drawings from Budapest, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Art Institute of Chicago, 1985
p. 38 under no. 11
The Princes Gate Collection - Drawings (Selection A), Courtauld Gallery, London, 1981-1982
cat. no. 140
Seilern, Count Antoine, Corrigenda and Addenda to the Catalogue of paintings and drawings at 56 Princes Gate, London, London 1971
no. 364
Popham, A. E., Catalogue of the Drawings of Parmigianino, New Haven and London 1971
no. 766 and p. 53 under no. 30
pl. 277
Fagiolo dell'Arco, Maurizio, Il Parmigianino: un saggio sull'ermetismo nel Cinquecento, 1970
p. 198
Seilern, Count Antoine, Italian paintings and drawings at 56 Princes Gate, London SW7. Addenda, London 1969; V
no. 364
pl. XLVIII
dated c. 1527-30
Fenyö, Ivan, 'Su alcuni disegni del Parmigianino nel Museo di Belle Arti di Budapest' in 'Arte Antica e Moderna', Apr./Jun. 1963; 22
p. 141
Popham, A.E., 'Dessins du Parmesan au Musée des Beaux-Arts de Budapest' in 'Bulletin du Musée Hongrois des Beaux-Arts', 1961; 19
p. 48
Brophy, John, The mind's eye, London 1949
p. 20 note
ill. facing p. 177 ...Less
cat. no. 18
and on p. 106
ill. on p. 103, IRR is fig. 87 on p. 173
Gnann, Achim, Parmigianino: Die Zeichnungen, Petersberg 2007
vol. I, p. 227 and vol. II, no. 675
ill.
De la Renaissance à l'age baroque: une collection de dessins italiens pour les musées de France, Musée du Louvre, Paris, 8 June - 29 August 2005, 2005
p. 123 under no. 82
author: Cordellier ...More
Christie's, London, Old master drawings, 6 July 1999
p. 20 under lot 17
Parmigianino - Paintings, Drawings, Prints, Courtauld, London, 1987
cat. no. 20
Leonardo to Van Gogh. Master drawings from Budapest, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Art Institute of Chicago, 1985
p. 38 under no. 11
The Princes Gate Collection - Drawings (Selection A), Courtauld Gallery, London, 1981-1982
cat. no. 140
Seilern, Count Antoine, Corrigenda and Addenda to the Catalogue of paintings and drawings at 56 Princes Gate, London, London 1971
no. 364
Popham, A. E., Catalogue of the Drawings of Parmigianino, New Haven and London 1971
no. 766 and p. 53 under no. 30
pl. 277
Fagiolo dell'Arco, Maurizio, Il Parmigianino: un saggio sull'ermetismo nel Cinquecento, 1970
p. 198
Seilern, Count Antoine, Italian paintings and drawings at 56 Princes Gate, London SW7. Addenda, London 1969; V
no. 364
pl. XLVIII
dated c. 1527-30
Fenyö, Ivan, 'Su alcuni disegni del Parmigianino nel Museo di Belle Arti di Budapest' in 'Arte Antica e Moderna', Apr./Jun. 1963; 22
p. 141
Popham, A.E., 'Dessins du Parmesan au Musée des Beaux-Arts de Budapest' in 'Bulletin du Musée Hongrois des Beaux-Arts', 1961; 19
p. 48
Brophy, John, The mind's eye, London 1949
p. 20 note
ill. facing p. 177 ...Less
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: likely one at centre but unable to discern due to paper quality and support.
Collector's mark: Recto: lower left, stamped in black: Sir Joshua Reynolds (L.2364).
Inscription: Recto: right centre, brown ink: “50”; lower left corner, brown ink: “Parmesan.”. Verso (backing sheet): lower centre edge, graphite: a flourish preceding “12-” [similar mark on D.1978.PG.398]. Former mount cover (removed in 1981, now in object file; belonged to Nicholas Hillier?), Recto: lower centre, brown ink: “Parmeggianino.”; below that, graphite: “140”.
Collector's mark: Recto: lower left, stamped in black: Sir Joshua Reynolds (L.2364).
Inscription: Recto: right centre, brown ink: “50”; lower left corner, brown ink: “Parmesan.”. Verso (backing sheet): lower centre edge, graphite: a flourish preceding “12-” [similar mark on D.1978.PG.398]. Former mount cover (removed in 1981, now in object file; belonged to Nicholas Hillier?), Recto: lower centre, brown ink: “Parmeggianino.”; below that, graphite: “140”.
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