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Head of a blind man asleep, with his head on a pillow

Maker

John Greenwood (artist)
1727-1792

Title

Head of a blind man asleep, with his head on a pillow

Date of Production

1760

Medium

black chalk on laid paper, with brown ink framing lines

Dimensions

Height: 17.8 cm
Width: 15.5 cm

Accession Number

D.1982.JW.1

Mode of Acquisition

John Witt, Art Fund bequest & grant aid, 1982

Credit

The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Copyright

Work in the public domain

Location

Not currently on display

Keywords





Label Text

Born in Boston, the little-known portrait painter and engraver John Greenwood was also active in Amsterdam, where he is documented as a member of the Drawing Academy in 1758. In this sketch he captures a man with his head resting on his left arm. His features are relaxed in sleep, with the mouth slightly open. Greenwood’s inscription explains that this is a blind man, portrayed on 29 July 1760 as he was sitting on Amsterdam’s Nieuwe brug (New bridge).

Provenance

E. Parsons & Sons (London); purchased there by Sir John Clermont Witt, London (1907-1982), January 1925 (30 shillings); John Witt Bequest via the Art Fund 1982

Exhibition History

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

Inscriptions

Watermark: Watermark: none.

Inscription: Recto, along lower edge, brown ink (same as framing lines), signed and dated by the artist: "Portret van een Blindeman op de Nieuwenbrúg Sittende na't Leven J:Greewood 29 Jl. 1760". Verso: lower left, graphite: "104".

Collector's mark: Verso: lower left corner, stamped in black ink: John Clermont Witt (L.646a).

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