possibly Albert Rubens (1614-1657); bought by Captain Maurice Johnson, 1742/44 for his father, Maurice Johnson Sr., Spalding (1688-1755); by descent in Johnson and Marsden families; W.A. Marsden (book-plate, 1897); Christopher Marsden (bookplate, 1930); his sale, Sotheby's (London), 23-24 March, 1970, lot 179; purchased there via Maggs Bros. (London) by Count Antoine Seilern, London (1901-1978) (£2,600); Princes Gate Bequest 1978

Rubens. The Power of Transformation, Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna, 17/10/2017-21/01/2018; Stadel Museum, Frankfurt, 08/02/2018-03/06/2018

Rubens. The Power of Transformation, Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna, 2017-18
cat. no. 28

van der Meulen, Marjorie, Rubens copies after the Antique (CRLB), 3 vols, London 1994
vol. I, p. 77

Jaffé, Michael, Van Dyck's Antwerp Sketchbook, London 1966
vol. I, p. 39

Watermark: Watermark: none.

Inscription: Recto: upper right corner, brown ink, Rubens’s original foliation: “173 .b.”; whole page, brown ink: “de imitatione statúarum / Aliis utilissima aliis damnosa úsque ad exterminiúm artis, conclúdo t[a]m[en] / ad súmmam eiús p[er]fectionem e[ss]e necessaria[m] illaru[m] intelligentia[m] imo imbi= / bitionem sed júdiciose applicandú[m] earúm úsúm et omnino citra saxúm / nam plures imperiti et etiam periti [n]o[n] distingiúnt ma[teri]am a fo[rm]a, faxú[m] / a figura nec neccesitatem marmoris ab artificio. / Una a[utem] maxima e[st] statúarú[m] optimas útilissimas ut viles et inutiles vel / etiam damnosas nam tirones exeis nescio q[ui]d crudi terminate / et difficiles molestaeque anatomiae dum trahúnt videntur proficere sed in / opprobrium na[tur]ae dúm pro carne marmor coloribus tinctum representa[nt] / múlta súnt enim notanda imo et vitanda etiam in optimis accidentia citra / cúlpam artificis precipúe differentia úmbrarúm súnt caro pellis car= / tilagio sua diaphanitate múlta […]iat precipitia in statuis nigredinis / e[t] umbra quae sua densitate saxum dúplicat inexorabiliter ob[vi]úm. adde / quasdam maccatúras ad o[mn]es motús variabiles et facilitate pellis aút / dimissas aút contractas Statúariis vulgo evitatis optimis t[a]m[en] que aliqúando / admissas, pictúras certo sed cúm moderatione necessarias, lúmine / etia[m] ab o[mn]i húmanitate alienissime differúnt lapideo splendore et / aspera lúce súpercifices magis elevate ac par e[st] aút satis saltis ocúlos / fascinante. Ea quisquis sapienti discretione separaverit statúas / concnias amplectetur nam q[ui]d in hoc erroneo seculo degeneres possúmús / q[ua]m vilis gerinis [sic, for geniús] vos humi detinet ab heroico illo immatos [sic] ingenio / uidicio seú patrúm nebula súsci súmus seú volúntate deúm postq[ua]m / lapsi [n]o[n] permittimúr pecora lapsi aut veterascente múndo indeboliti / irreparabili damno, seú etiam o[mn]iúm na[tur]ali antiqúitús origini / perfectionisque propriús offerebat últro compostúm q[uo]d núnc / secúlorúm senscentiú[m] defectú súb accidentibús vitiis et etiam statúrae ho[m]i[nu]m, múltorum sententiis probatae paúlatim decressentia. / Quippe profani sacrique de Eurela [sic] dei gigantúm, Cÿclopúmque evo / múlta qúidem fabúlosa aliqúa t[a]m[en] vera enarrant sive dubio / Ca[us]a precipúa qúa n[ost]ri evi ho[min]es, differúnt ab antiquis e[st] ignavia [this corrected] / et inexercitatúm vivendi genus qúippe e[ss]e bibere núlla exerci= / tandi corporis cúra i[gitu]r deprominet depressúm ventris onús / semper assidúa repletúm inglúie cura ermonia et brachia / otii súi conscicia contra antiquitús o[mn]es qúotidie palestris et” [continued on verso]; lower right corner, graphite, folio number: “31”. Verso: upper right corner, brown ink, Rubens’s original foliation: “173 .b.”; upper half of page, brown ink, continuation of recto text: “gÿmnasiis exercebantúr violenter et vere dicúm múnús / ad sudorem ad lassitúdinem extremam úsque vide mercú= / rialem de arte gÿmnastica qúa varia laborúm genera / tantopere venter restringebati abdomine in carnem mi= / grante et q[ui]dq[ui]d in corpore húmano passive se / habet, nam brachia crúra cervix scapúli, et o[mn]ia. qúae / agúnt aúxiliante n[atur]a [above the last word a “+” is added and the full word “+ natúra” is spelled out in the margin] et súccúm calore attractúm / súbministrare immensúm aúgentúr et crescúnt videmús terga genclorúm, brachia gladiatorum, crúra saltantiúm et totúm crescere corpus netiúgum [sic for “remigum”] [[translation from ‘Principles of Painting’, 1743, the English ed. of Roger de Piles’s ‘Cours de peinture par principes’, 1708: To some painters the imitation of the antique statues has been extremely useful, and to others pernicious, even to the ruin of their art. I conclude, however, that in order to attain the highest perfection in painting, it is necessary to understand the antiques, nay, to be so thoroughly possessed of this knowledge, that it may diffuse itself everywhere. Yet it must be judiciously applied, and so that it may not in the least smell of the stone. For several ignorant painters, and even some who are skilful, make no distinction between the matter and the form, the stone and the figure, the necessity of using the block, and the art of forming it. It is certain, however, that as the finest statues are extremely beneficial, so the bad are not only useless, but even pernicious. For beginners learn from them I know not what, that is crude, liny [restricted], stiff and of harsh anatomy; and while they take themselves to be good proficient, do but disgrace nature; since instead of imitating flesh, they only represent marble tinged with various colours. For there are many things to be taken notice of, and avoided, which happen even in the best statues, without the workman’s fault: especially with regard to the difference of shades; where the flesh, skin and cartilages by their diaphanous natures, soften, as it were, the harshness of a great many out-lines, and wear off those rugged breaks, which in statues, by the force and depth of their shade, make the stone, though very opaque, appear still more opaque and impenetrable to light, than it really is. There are, besides, certain places in the natural, which change their figure according to the various motions of the body, and, by reason of the flexibility of the skin, are sometimes dilated, and at other times contracted. These are avoided by the generality of sculptors; yet are sometimes admitted into use by the most excellent, and are certainly necessary to painting; but must be used with moderation. To this we must add, that not only the shade, but also the lights of statues are extremely different from the natural; for the gloss of stone, and the sharpness of the light that strikes it, raise the surface above its proper pitch, or, at least, fascinate the eye. He who has, with discernment, made the proper distinctions in these cases, cannot consider the antique statues too attentively, nor study them too carefully; for we of this erroneous age, are so far degenerate that we can produce nothing like them: Whether it is, that our grovelling genius will not permit us to soar to those heights which the ancients attained by their heroic sense and superior parts; or that we are wrapped up in the darkness that overclouded our fathers; or that it is the will of God, because we have neglected to amend our former errors, that we should fall from them into worse; or that the world growing old, our minds grow with it irrecoverably weak; or, in fine, that nature herself furnished the human body, in those early ages, when it was nearer its origin and perfection, with every thing that could make it a perfect model; but now being decayed and corrupted by a succession of so many ages, vices, and accidents, has lost its efficacy, and only scatters those perfections among many, which it used formerly to bestow upon one. In this manner, the human stature may be proved from many authors to have gradually decreased. For both sacred and profane writers have related many things concerning the age of heroes, giants, and Cyclops, in which accounts, if there are many things that are fabulous, there is certainly some truth. The chief reason why men of our age are different from the ancients is sloth, and want of exercise; for most men give no other exercise to their body but eating and drinking. No wonder therefore, if we see so many paunch-bellies, weak and pitiful legs and arms, that seem to reproach themselves with their idleness. Whereas the ancients exercised their bodies every day in the academies, and other places for that purpose, and exercised them so violently as to sweat and fatigue them, perhaps too much. See in Mercurialis de arte gymnastica how many various exercises they took, how difficult, and what vigour of constitution they required. Thus all those parts of the body which are fed by idleness were worn away; the belly was kept within its bounds, and what would have otherwise swelled it was converted into flesh and muscles. For the arms, legs, neck, shoulders and whatever works in the body, are assisted by exercise, and nourished with juice, drawn into them by heat, and thus increase exceedingly both in strength and size; as appears from the backs of porters, the arms of prize fighters, the legs of dancers, and almost the whole body of watermen.].