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Lot Essay
This unpublished drawing is an important addition to the group of fourteen drawings of anatomical studies, eleven of which were sold for the Newdegate Settlement in these Rooms, 6-7 July 1987, lots 57-67 (introduction by Michael Jaff). The other three are in the Bodmer Foundation, Geneva, in the Albertina (M. Jaff, Van Dyck's Antwerp Sketchbook, London, 1966, pp. 100-2, pl. XLIV) and at Chatsworth (J.M. Muller, op. cit., p. 85, fig. 18, Flayed head of an old man). J.M. Muller (op. cit., p. 92, note 6) adds to this list a drawing in the Museum of Fine Art, Boston, retouched by Rubens, which is probably of a different type, H. Macandrew, Italian Drawings in the Museum of Fine Art, Boston, Boston, 1983, no. 3a. Michael Jaff dates the group after Rubens' return from Rome, around 1605-10, op. cit., p. 61.
As pointed out by Michael Jaff, Rubens probably executed this series of drawings to illustrate an Anatomy Book, with a view to publishing them as engravings. Indeed a number of these drawings were engraved first in reverse by Paul Pontius (fig. 1) and then in the same direction by Willem Panneels. After Rubens' death in 1640, Alexander Voet in Antwerp published Pontius' prints with the inscription 'PETRVS PAVLVS RVBBENS DELINEAVIT'.
Many of these anatomical studies by Rubens are also known through copies, mostly in Copenhagen, J. Garff and E. de la Fuente Pedersen, Rubens Cantoor, The Drawings of Willem Panneels, Copenhagen, 1988. Many of the Copenhagen copies were executed by Rubens assistant Willem Panneels, who was in charge of Rubens' studio during the master's absence from Antwerp in 1628-30. A copy in Copenhagen after the Burchard drawing, including only the large central figure, bears an inscription indicating that the drawing was copied from an original in Rubens' cantoor: 'oockalvant cantoorvanrubbens' (also from Rubens' cantoor), J. Garff and E. de la Fuente Pedersen, op. cit., no. 83, illustrated. Many of the Copenhagen drawings bear similar inscriptions indicating that Rubens' originals were kept in a cantoor, an office or locked cabinet in which the master kept his drawings and sketches.
Another copy of the present drawing, this time of the complete composition, was sold at Sotheby's, 29 June 1926, lot 115. The Sotheby's copy came from Lempereur's collection and bears Crozat's number and could be Pontius' own version used for the engravings. This provenance sheds light on Pierre-Jean Mariette' mysterious comment on some corch studies he saw in Crozat's collection: 'M. Crozat a quelques uns de ces desseins de figures ecorches qui sont beaux, mais peu interessans' (quoted in M. Jaff, op. cit., 1987, p. 58). The Crozat drawings probably correspond to Pontius' copies and not, as Michael Jaff suggested, to the Newdegate drawings. The quality of the copy explains Mariette' dismissive comment.
The technique of the present drawing, with some chalk cross-hatching added over the wash, is the same as lot 58 of Christie's sale of 1987. Lots 62, 64 and 67 of that sale also carry the same watermark as the present drawing. The drawings sold at Christie's were probably acquired in the 18th Century by Sir Roger Newdigate, 5th Bt., on his travels through France and Italy in 1738-40. The Bodmer drawing, the one most obviously of the same series, appeared first in Lawrence's collection. The Burchard and Bodmer drawings were presumably separated from the group before 1738.
As pointed out by Michael Jaff, Rubens probably executed this series of drawings to illustrate an Anatomy Book, with a view to publishing them as engravings. Indeed a number of these drawings were engraved first in reverse by Paul Pontius (fig. 1) and then in the same direction by Willem Panneels. After Rubens' death in 1640, Alexander Voet in Antwerp published Pontius' prints with the inscription 'PETRVS PAVLVS RVBBENS DELINEAVIT'.
Many of these anatomical studies by Rubens are also known through copies, mostly in Copenhagen, J. Garff and E. de la Fuente Pedersen, Rubens Cantoor, The Drawings of Willem Panneels, Copenhagen, 1988. Many of the Copenhagen copies were executed by Rubens assistant Willem Panneels, who was in charge of Rubens' studio during the master's absence from Antwerp in 1628-30. A copy in Copenhagen after the Burchard drawing, including only the large central figure, bears an inscription indicating that the drawing was copied from an original in Rubens' cantoor: 'oockalvant cantoorvanrubbens' (also from Rubens' cantoor), J. Garff and E. de la Fuente Pedersen, op. cit., no. 83, illustrated. Many of the Copenhagen drawings bear similar inscriptions indicating that Rubens' originals were kept in a cantoor, an office or locked cabinet in which the master kept his drawings and sketches.
Another copy of the present drawing, this time of the complete composition, was sold at Sotheby's, 29 June 1926, lot 115. The Sotheby's copy came from Lempereur's collection and bears Crozat's number and could be Pontius' own version used for the engravings. This provenance sheds light on Pierre-Jean Mariette' mysterious comment on some corch studies he saw in Crozat's collection: 'M. Crozat a quelques uns de ces desseins de figures ecorches qui sont beaux, mais peu interessans' (quoted in M. Jaff, op. cit., 1987, p. 58). The Crozat drawings probably correspond to Pontius' copies and not, as Michael Jaff suggested, to the Newdegate drawings. The quality of the copy explains Mariette' dismissive comment.
The technique of the present drawing, with some chalk cross-hatching added over the wash, is the same as lot 58 of Christie's sale of 1987. Lots 62, 64 and 67 of that sale also carry the same watermark as the present drawing. The drawings sold at Christie's were probably acquired in the 18th Century by Sir Roger Newdigate, 5th Bt., on his travels through France and Italy in 1738-40. The Bodmer drawing, the one most obviously of the same series, appeared first in Lawrence's collection. The Burchard and Bodmer drawings were presumably separated from the group before 1738.