Johann Heinrich Füssli, Henry Fuseli, R.A. (1741-1825)

細節

Johann Heinrich Füssli, Henry Fuseli, R.A. (1741-1825)

The Massacre of the Innocents

pencil, pen and brown ink, brown wash, watermark encircled Orfini arms flanked by GA
9 7/8 x 14¾in. (247 x 373mm.)

來源

John Knowles; Christie's, 22 April 1847, part of lot 30 (#1.10s. to Moore)
The early provenance is established by Miss Moore's inscription in the Album, 'Purchased at M^r Knowles's sale.' John Knowles, F.R.S., worked in the Navy Office and first met Fuseli in 1805. He acted as his executor and in 1831 published The Life and Writings of Henry Fuseli

拍品專文

This is a preliminary drawing for the work sold at Sotheby's on 7 July 1983, lot 83, reproduced in colour, as 'Medea' on the basis of what seems to be a later inscription in pencil; the Sotheby's drawing is also inscribed 'Rome 71' and 'Rachel' in Hebrew on the tomb on the left. The more finished drawing, in wash, 17½ x 25½in. (445 x 640mm.), has a different background and the figure on the left is an old hag with a crutch; there are two extra dead babies in the background.

The classically inspired, Maenad-like main figure explains the mistaken identification, but Medea only had two children whom she killed on her betrayal by Jason. Fuseli's treatment of the subject of the Massacre of the Innocents was probably inspired in general terms by the engraving by Marcantonio after Raphael