A WINGS AND. ; STUD- IE MICHELANGELO V CsJH'* DRAWINGS AND STUDIES BY MICHELANGELO. r Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Getty Research Institute https://archive.org/details/drawingsstudiesbOOfish DRAWINGS AND STUDIES BY MICHELANGELO IN THE UNIVERSITY GALLERIES, OXFORD. ETCHED AND ENGRAVED BY JOSEPH FISHER, KEEPER OF THE UNIVERSITY GALLERIES. NEW EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED. LONDON: GEORGE BELL AND SONS, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1879. NOTE TO THE REVISED EDITION. This new edition will be found to contain various new illustrations, either etched or engraved on wood from the original drawings. The order of the plates has been altered and all the descriptions have been carefully revised and brought into harmony with the Catalogue compiled by Mr. J. C. Robinson, entitled “ A Critical Account of the Drawings by Raffaello and Michel Angelo in the University Galleries, Oxford,” to which the publishers hereby desire to acknowledge their great obligation. INTRODUCTION. In presenting to the public these etchings, from the designs of Raffaelle and Michelangelo , 1 the publishers deem it desirable to give a brief sketch of their history, and of the evidence which may be adduced in favour of their authenticity. Perhaps in the annals of art a more remarkable record is not to be found. Collected by Sir Thomas Lawrence, and authenticated by his judgment and ex- perience, they yet narrowly escaped a fate which at one time threatened to scatter them throughout Europe. Sir Thomas, con- vinced of the genuineness of these designs, and anxious to retain them in England, desired in his will that his collection should be offered to the Trustees of the National Gallery, at one-third of its value. With the uncertainty which often accompanies the acts of official bodies, the offer was not accepted, and the whole series, which included drawings by many of the Italian masters, passed into the hands of Messrs. Woodburn. These gentlemen, after an exhibition which resulted in assuring art-connoisseurs of the price- less value of these designs, opened negotiations with the Govern- ment, to whom they offered the entire collection for ten thousand guineas, a sum far below the estimate put upon it by an experienced and able judge. The negotiation again failed, and this magnificent collection ran great risks of being entirely dispersed. The drawings 1 For the convenience of purchasers the facsimiles from the drawings of Rafifaelle are sold separately from those of Michelangelo, hut the Introduction is attached to each volume. INTRODUCTION. vi of the less. important masters were sold to private collectors, and those of Raffaelle and Michelangelo were submitted to the Prince of Orange (afterwards William II. of Holland). He, however, purchased only a portion of them, and fortunately these were not the best, and before further inroads were made on the important collection which still remained a last effort was made to preserve them for this country. A public appeal was put forth by the University of Oxford, and through the exertions of a few eminent men who appreciated the value of this unrivalled collection^ subscription was set on foot among the members of the University. Seven thousand pounds were col- lected for the purchase, to which the late Earl of Eldon contributed the munificent sum of four thousand one hundred pounds, and the drawings became the property of the University. It is an interest- ing fact that some of those selected by the Prince of Orange have since been reunited to the collection by the bequest of Mr. Chambers Hall, who purchased them at or soon after the King of Holland’s sale. The earlier history of the drawings is not less adventurous, and sufficient is known to trace them almost to their source. At least six of them belonged to Timoteo Della Vite, the friend and pupil of Raffaelle himself. From Della Vite they passed by inheritance to the Marchese Antaldi. Three of them are known to have come from M. Crozat. Three belonged to M. Mariette, the compiler of the catalogue of M. Crozat ’s collection, and author of a work of high authority on the general subject of design. Giorgio Vasari, the writer of the Lives of the Painters, a pupil of Raffaelle, and a great collector of his master’s designs, is known to have been in possession of one of these sketches ; and Count Zanetti, of Venice, an authority of no less eminence, a preserver and collector of everything curious or excellent in art, was the owner of another. Seven of them came from M. de Lagoy, quoted by Landon in his Life and Works of Raffaelle, as the possessor of that master’s designs. Of our own countrymen, or those whom we may call by that name, King Charles. I possessed one, the Earl of Arundel two, Dr. Mead one, and Consul Udney, of Venice, two. Sir Peter Lely was the owner of three of them, Mr. Jonathan Richardson held four, Sir Joshua Reynolds eight, Benjamin West one, Fuseli one, and Richard Cosway three. INTRODUCTION. vii Like many other famous works of art, a portion of these drawings shared in the vicissitudes of the French Revolution, ultimately, how- ever, to be landed under the safe keeping of England. The French armies, as is well known, were accompanied by persons appointed to select and carry off the best pictures from the palaces, churches, and galleries, public or private, in places occupied by the soldiers of the Republic. They were furnished with authentic catalogues of the best pictures, and many interesting stories are told of the treasures they were appointed to “ convey.” Marshal Soult was accustomed to point to a gem which he specially valued because it “ saved the life of a Spanish noble.” The modus operandi was somewhat peculiar. The marshal was determined to possess the picture ; the noble, equally desirous to retain it, hid it, and declared he had not got it. The marshal, “ master of the situation,” ordered its quondam possessor to be shot unless the picture was produced within a given time, and of course the production of it “ saved his life.” The existence of the designs of Raffaelle and of Michelangelo was not generally known, and hence they were not included in the catalogues furnished to the French collectors. The Chevalier Wicar, who was sent to Italy by the French Government, nevertheless selected the most choice drawings wherever he found them (whether or not they were enumerated), and those not named in his commission he retained for his own study. Amongst them were many of the designs which now furnish the subjects of these etchings. The collection of the Chevalier Wicar, one of the most valuable known in modern times, appears to have been divided into two portions, both of which fortunately fell into English hands. One of them the Chevalier entrusted to a friend in Florence, from whom it was purchased by Mr. W. Y. Ottley. The other was retained by the Chevalier himself, in Rome, where he was visited by Mr. S. Woodburn, in 1823. Mr. Woodburn opened a negotiation for the purchase of the Chevalier’s collection, and M. Wicar was tempted by the offer of eleven thousand Roman scudi. The transfer of these treasures was duly reported in the Diario di Roma, and great in- terest was created in consequence. The public for the first time became aware of their existence in a collected form, and an offer was made to Mr. Woodburn from Russia, which he patriotically INTRODUCTION. viii declined, determining to keep them for his own country. A singular incident at the sale of these drawings of the Chevalier Wicar re- vealed the existence of other treasures of remarkable interest and value. Mr. Woodburn discovered that some designs by Raffaelle remained in the keeping of the Marquis Antaldi of Pesaro, the name of whose ancestor is mentioned above, and he resolved, if possible, to secure those important relics. Accordingly he set out for Pesaro, where his perseverance was rewarded by a view of those interesting remains of art history. He found there a portrait of Timoteo Della Vite, a scholar of Raffaelle, and his executor. This is said to be the finest head ever produced in black chalk. Besides this most valuable prize, there were some admirable drawings, and on the back of two of them were found studies for sonnets. This historical evidence, if other things were, wanting, is beyond all question of the highest value. The Marquis Antaldi was a descendant of Timoteo Della Vite, the friend and pupil of Raffaelle, and these drawings had never been out of his family. Hence, in addition to the artistic testimony which is marked upon these productions, we have his- torical evidence of a character which is almost incontrovertible. The studies for sonnets on the back of two of the drawings of course add materially to their interesting character. The visit of Mr. Woodburn to the Marquis Antaldi was, however, not only useful in securing this small though admirable collection, but it also opened another channel of investigation and research, and was the means of bringing to England another collection of the designs of Raffaelle and Michelangelo. After the negotiation between the Marquis Antaldi and Mr. Woodburn was completed, the former presented his visitor with a curious manuscript catalogue of pictures and drawings ; this catalogue is now in the University Galleries. 1 From this source it was discovered that M. Crozat had purchased, about the year 1680, many of the Raffaelle drawings from the ancestor of the Marquis Antaldi. Here was another link in the chain of discovery, and, fortunately, Mr. Woodburn was able to work it out, through a very happy incident. The Marquis Lagoy, 1 It is printed by Mr. Robinson in his “ Critical Account ” of the drawings at Oxford, pp. 343-351. INTRODUCTION. ix who lived in Paris about the year 1820, was desirous of securing a cabinet of Greek coins which had been sent from Naples to Paris for sale. His means would not allow him to become the purchaser, and he therefore offered for sale his collection of drawings, in order to secure possession of the coins. As soon as Mr. Woodburn heard of the circumstance, he set off from Amsterdam in the depth of winter, and bought the entire collection of drawings from the Mar- quis. The collection contained only 138 drawings, but they were of the highest quality, and the whole of them were purchased by Mr. Thomas Dimsdale, on the very day Mr. Woodburn came from Paris. This was two years before his interviews with the Chevalier Wicar and the Marquis Antaldi, though the importance of the pur- chase from the Marquis Lagoy was not fully known till the last event. In the manuscript catalogue handed by Antaldi to Mr. Woodburn, it was shown that many of these drawings transferred by the Marquis Lagoy were those which were sold 140 years before by a former Antaldi to M. Crozat. Thus it seemed as if nothing more were wanting to complete the documentary evidence of their genuineness. The Chevalier Wicar gathered them from the best galleries in Italy, and verified their authenticity by his knowledge, taste, and research. The Chevalier sold them to Mr. Woodburn, and introduced the purchaser to the Marquis Antaldi, who was a lineal descendant of the executor of Raffaelle, as well as an enthusi- astic collector of his drawings, and from him they secured a further identification. Again, by means of a manuscript catalogue of un- doubted antiquity, a few more of the drawings were found in Paris, their possessor in the French capital being able to trace their history in a direct line from M. Crozat, the friend of the ancestor of the Marquis Antaldi. It is now easy to follow them to their present position. Mr. Woodburn, in his indefatigable researches after the drawings of Michelangelo and Raffaelle, appears to have acted principally as the agent of Mr. Dimsdale and Sir Thomas Lawrence. It was Mr. Dimsdale who purchased the Lagoy collection ; it was he who bought the Wicar treasures ; whilst Sir Thomas, whose purse was not so deep as that of his rival, occasionally bought single selected specimens. He was able, subsequently, to purchase the whole Flo- INTRODUCTION. rentine selection of the Chevalier Wicar from Mr. Ottley for ten thousand pounds. Of the designs, however, from which our etch- ings are taken, eight passed from Mr. Dimsdale’s cabinet during his lifetime into that of Sir Thomas Lawrence. Five came from the gallery of Mr. J. Harman, four from that of Lord Hampden, two from Earl Spencer’s cabinet, two from that of Mr. Duroveray, one from that of Mr. Hugford, others from Mr. Berwick, eighteen from foreign connoisseurs, and one was presented to Sir Thomas by the Duke of Devonshire. This drawing bears on the back of it, in the duke’s handwriting, the record of the presentation. It was, however, from Mr. Dimsdale’s collection that the majority of these treasures were obtained. A “ ruling passion ” was never, perhaps, more strongly exhibited than in the case of this gentleman. During a severe illness, and only a few days before his death, he gave three thousand guineas for the Raffaelle and Michelangelo drawings from the Roman collection of M. Wicar. Very shortly after his death the entire series of his Italian draw- ings were purchased by Sir Thomas Lawrence for the sum of five thousand five hundred guineas. This addition made the cabinet of Sir Thomas the finest in existence. An amusing anecdote is told of the two distinguished collectors, which will bear repetition here. Sir Thomas, not anticipating the serious illness of Mr. Dimsdale, was most anxious to obtain from him, by means of money, ex- change, or any other mode, the possession of the best drawings in the Wicar collection. He pressed his purpose through Mr. Woodburn, their common friend, but without avail. One day during Mr. Dimsdale’s illness, a servant of Sir Thomas’s arrived to inquire after his health, and to beg his acceptance of a brace of pheasants. “ Ah,” said Mr. Dimsdale, who was at that time very ill, “these pheasants smell very strongly of Raffaelle and Michel- angelo.” However, Sir Thomas had not long to wait, for, a few days after, this liberal and distinguished amateur died. With respect to their genuineness there is abundant proof, external and internal ; in the approval of the most famous artists and connoisseurs, amongst whom the name of Sir Thomas Law- rence stands pre-eminent ; in the anxiety of the Royal Academy to secure possession of them ; in the memorial of between three INTRODUCTION. xi and four hundred amateurs and professors of art to retain them in England ; in the pride with which they are regarded by the University of Oxford, and in the liberality which that distinguished body showed in the purchase of them. So convinced was William IV. of their great merit that he gave a donation of fifty guineas to secure the gratuitous admission of students of the Royal Academy to these designs. In an elaborate paper, the late Rev. Vaughan Thomas proved their authenticity, not only from the evidence of reputation and the concurrence of opinions and autho- rities, but from the peculiarities of workmanship, drawing, lines of contour and lines of shading ; from the materials with which Rafifaelle worked ; from the painter’s known manner of expressing his thoughts and feelings ; from the changes which are known to have taken place in Raffaelle’s manner ; from the known facts in the history of his practice as a painter ; from his known study of the antique, and from his earnest desire that his figures should be anatomically correct. What is said for Rafifaelle may of course be also said for Michelangelo. It is not our intention to follow the argu- ments of Mr. Thomas, but we may refer to one or two points of sin- gular interest. On the back of one design — “ Studies for the figures in the fresco of the Dispute of the Sacrament ” — are to be found the rough drafts of two sonnets, in the handwriting of Rafifaelle. We find the last word in each intended line jotted down, as if he had fitted his ideas to his rhymes, and made the sense subservient to the sound. This is an interesting literary memorial, and in itself is a valuable corroborative piece of testimony. Again, in a study for the Borghese Entombment we have the figures of the three Apostles undraped to mark the anatomy, and the body of the Saviour indicated in red chalk. In the drawings of Michelangelo similar interesting memorials of his care to give effective form to his con- ceptions, are to be found. At the back of one sheet of studies, apparently designed for a pupil, is to be found a sonnet by the great master himself. On the reverse of another may be seen studies of eyes and a head ; and a pupil of Michelangelo’s having copied them indifferently, his master has written an observation, recommending perseverance to him. On the reverse of another are a few anatomical studies ; on the back of another are verses in the INTRODUCTION. xii handwriting of the master ; on another, remarks respecting his accounts. Two other sheets are made up of leaves from Michel- angelo’s pocket-book, with pen-sketches, which are, for the most part, preliminary sketches, or first ideas for the paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. These, of course, are incidents which add only to the historical interest of these drawings, not to their artistic merit. That must be left to the judgment of the amateur and professor, and it may be said, that no one can view them without being convinced of their transcendent merit. As Mr. Thomas remarks of the Raffaelle collection, they trace, in an unbroken series, “ the practice in art of this prince of painters and so, it may be added, of Michel- angelo, the king of artists. There is no room to doubt the price- less character of these productions, and the University of Oxford deserves the thanks of the nation for the part it has taken in their preservation. The following is a list of the various collectors or collections mentioned in the descriptions of the drawings : — Albani, Cardinal. Alva, Duke of. *Antaldi, Marquis, of Pesaro (a descendant of Timoteo Della Vite). Arundel, Earl of (temp. Charles I.). Baglioni, Count, of Perugia. Barnard, J. Berwick. * Boehm, J. D., of Vienna. Bordage. Borghese, Prince. Bossi, of Milan. Brunet. Buonarroti, Casa. Charles I, King. Constantine, B. Corntz, Jacob. Cosway, Richard. Crozat, P. (purchased some of the Antaldi drawings about 1680). D’Argenville. Defries, Count, of Vienna. Della Vite, Timoteo (Raffaelle’s pupil and executor). Denon, Baron, Paris. De Rover, of Amsterdam. Devonshire, Duke of. Dimsdale, Thomas. Duroveray, F. J. INTRODUCTION. xiii *Fairholme, G. Fuseli, Henry, R.A. Geloso, Count, of Turin. Guise, General. *Hall, Chambers. Hampden, Viscount. *Harman, Jeremiah. Holditch, R. ^Holland, King William II. of. Hudson, J. Hugford, Ignatius. Josi, of Amsterdam. Lagoy, Marquis, of Paris. Lawrence, Sir J., P.R.A. Lely, Sir Peter. Lempereur, B. Mariette, Pierre, of Paris. Mead, Dr. Metz. Modena, Duke of. Naples, King of, at Capo di Monti. Ottley, W. Y. Paignon-Dijonval, of Paris. Ploos van Amstel. Pond, A. Price, Uvedale, Esq. Revil. Reynolds, Sir J., P.R.A. Richardson, Jonathan. Rutgers. St. Morys. Spencer, Earl. Ten Kate. Udney, R. (British Consul at Venice). Vasari, Giorgio, author of “ Lives of the Painters.” Verstegh. West, Benjamin. Wicar, Chevalier. Willett, R. *Woodburn, Samuel. Zanetti, Count, of Venice. A few of the drawings (about eight) from the Collections marked thus ( # ) did not pass through Sir J. Lawrence’s hands, but were bequeathed to, or acquired by, the University since the formation of the Gallery. DRAWINGS AND MICHELANGELO STUDIES BY BUONARROTI. [See Plate i.\ Group of Three Standing Figures — A soldier with a sympathizing companion apparently debating some matter with a civilian. Pen drawing in bistre. Size, 15 in. by 10 in. From the Collections Richardson, Spencer, Ottley, and Lawrence. (R. 1.) 1 H. [See Plate 2.] Two Standing Draped Figures — one with the hand resting on the hip ; the other in profile with cowled head bent down. On the other side of the sheet a head of a man with an aquiline nose and keen glancing eyes, wearing a cloth cap or turban. Pen drawing in bistre. Size, 10! in. by 7 in. From the Collections Ottley and Lawrence. (R. 2.) III. [See Plate j.] Studies of Hands, and the torso of a male figure, back view. Pen drawing in bistre. Size, i6i in. by ioi in. From the Collections Wicar and Lawrence. (R. 4.) 1 These references give the numbers under which the drawings are described in Mr. J. C. Robinson’s “ Critical Account,” published by the Clarendon Press at Oxford. STUDIES BY MICHELANGELO. IV. [See Plate ^.] Study of a Head, described as “ finely expressive of scorn- fulness and pride ” ( Ottley ). Red chalk drawing. Size, ii| in. by 7 ^ in. From the Collections Buonarroti, Wicar, Ottley, and Lawrence. (R. 9.) V. [See Plate 5.] Head OR Bust, in profile, of a Woman wearing a cap or turban. Red chalk drawing. Size, 8iin. by 6£ in. From the Collections Buonarroti, Wicar, and Law- rence. (R. 10.) VI. [See Plate 6 .] Head, in Profile, of a bearded man with his mouth wide open, singing, wearing a Phrygian cap, his hand grasping the folds of his cloak. Red chalk drawing. Size, 6i in. by 5 in. From the Collections Modena and Lawrence. (R. 11.) VII. [See Plate 7.] Two Studies, mounted on the same sheet — the upper one a naked sitting figure, the lower one a profile with snub nose, high forehead, and thin scrubby hair and beard, apparently a caricature from life. Red chalk drawing. Size of the figure, 3 in. by 2 in. Size of the head, 4! in. by 3| in. From the Collections Reynolds and Lawrence. (R. 12.) VIII. [See Plate