The Birth of the Rose: Venus pulling a thorn from her foot, attended by Putti

Details

Studio of Sir Peter Paul Rubens (Siegen 1577-1640 Antwerp)
The Birth of the Rose: Venus pulling a thorn from her foot, attended by Putti
oil on paper, in a tortoiseshell frame
23¾ x 17¾ in. (603 x 451 mm.)

Provenance

Possibly William Taverner (d. 1772), by whom bequeathed to James 'Athenian' Stuart (d. 1788).
Possibly Richard Cosway; Christie's London, 2 March 1792, part of lot 55 (Rubens - A Venus taking the thorn from her foot, and a study of heads, Italian, 4 gns to Sampson).

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis This lot is subject to Collection and Storage charges

Lot Essay

Rubens' painting of this subject is in the Armand Hammer Collection, Los Angeles (D. Jaffé, Rubens, Catalogo Completo, Milan, 1989, no. 72). Jaffé notes that Richard Cosway, in his catalogue of his own collection published in 1791, describes a 'Venus taking a thorn out of her foot, with Cupids, whose various appropriate occupations are most happily conceived and expressed. This beautiful sketch was left by Mr Taverner, at his decease, to Athenian Stuart' (D.Jaffé, loc. cit.) which may perhaps be identified with the present work.

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