Architectural drawings are often heavily annotated with labels and measurements, and this sheet is no exception. This plan records the eighteenth-century restoration of a building occupied by the Scapucci family over three centuries. Though its name is omitted on the sheet, the building, which still stands, can be identified by the precisely labelled surrounding streets. Cross-sections are shown adjacent to the streets on which they sit. The scale at lower left records the unit of measurement as ‘Palmi Romani’, based on the length of a hand.

from an album compiled and partly drawn by the artist, Rome, probably mid-18th century (several sheets in the Blunt collection belonged to this album); probably Christie’s (London), 1939-41; Dr Alfred Scharf, London (1900-1965); purchased from him by Professor Anthony Blunt, London (1907-1983), 1941 (as by Ghezzi); Blunt Bequest via the Art Fund 1984

Drawings Gallery Display - Reading Drawings, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 21/01/2017-04/06/2017

Donadono, Laura, Palazzo Scapucci: storia e restauro, Rome 2016
p. 24
ill. on p. 24 (a detail)

Watermark: Watermark: none.

Inscription: Recto, all in brown ink and artist’s hand except for “14” in graphite: upper left: “Pianta del' Primo Piano / Nobile di cima del Palazzo / posto a So: Antonino de / Portoghesi della Vle: Are: / Riconf: del Samo: Confa: / Cones //”; within drawing, surrounding outside of plan, clockwise from upper left: “Casa del vicino” “Cortile del vi= / cino //” “Case di diversi Condomini Strada che da S:to Antonino de Portoghesi Tende all'Orso Strada avanti S::to Ant:o / de Portoghesi //” “Strada che da' S: Agostino Tende a S: Antonino de Portoghesi”; within drawing, inside rooms of plan, clockwise from upper left: “Letto / Camera / Grande / Camino //” “Corridore o passo che com:ca con l'Appartamento / Stalla //” “Rimesse Terrerre Camino / Fontana / Loggia / scoperta //” “Poz: / zo Cortile / AntiCam.ra AntiCam.ra Sala / Capella / loggia scoperta / Loggia scoperta / Sopra il Portone / 2:so St ada //”; within drawings, inside rooms of plan, letters corresponding to heights in cross-sections: two rooms labelled “A”, four rooms labelled “B”, three rooms labelled “C”; lower left, above and on cross-section: “Spaccato per il Trans:so delle Stanze [?] St Agostino per, / dinotargli le loro Altezze per regola di lettere Alfabetiere / Soffitto Solario / p18 1/2 A B p.18 1/2 C p.20 1/4 C C p. 20 1/4 //”; lower left, beneath scale, brown ink, artist’s hand: “5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 150 Palmi Romani”; above and on cross-section along right edge: “Spaccato per il Tran:so delle Stanze So: L'Orso con scala per denotare / La loro altezze simile / Solaro Soffitto / A p. 20 3/4 B p. 18 B p. 18 //”; lower right corner: “109”; lower right corner, graphite: “14”.

Collector's mark: none.