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Lot Essay
Le modèle de ce dessin est possiblement Harriot Mellon, également portraituré dans un dessin de Füssli, de profil, vendu chez Christie's, Londres, le 18 mars 1980, lot 21. Ce dessin comporte l'inscription 'H.M' et 'S.H [Somerset House]. Mai 29.15.' avec une citation en grec d'Hyppolite, d'Euripide (acte ii, vers 640-641): 'Je hais les femmes intelligentes ; il n'y aura jamais, dans ma maison du moins, une femme plus intelligente qu'elle ne devrait l'être'. Harriot Mellon (1777-1837) était une comédienne; en 1815 elle devient la seconde épouse du patron de Füssli, le banquier Thomas Coputts, et en 1827, elle épouse le Duc de Saint Albans. Toutefois, l'dentification du modèle en tant que Mellon n'est pas évidente, il est donc également possible qu'il s'agisse de Harriet Moore, la propriétaire de l'album dont ce dessin est extrait; Par ailleurs, il pourrait s'agir d'une représentation plus générale d'un portrait de courtisane.
The model for this drawing is possibly Harriot Mellon, the subject of a profile drawing sold at Christie's, London, 18 March 1980, lot 21. That drawing is inscribed 'H.M.' and 'S. H. [Somerset House]. may 29.15.' and with a quotation in Greek from Euripedes' Hippolytus
(act II, verses 640-641): 'I hate a clever woman; for never in my house, at least, may there be a woman cleverer than a woman should be.' Harriot Mellon (1777-1837) was an actress; in 1815 she became the second wife of Füssli's patron, the banker Thomas Coutts, and in 1827 she married the Duke of St. Albans. However, there is no further evidence for the identification of the drawing's model as Mellon, so it is also possible that the sitter is Harriet Moore, the owner of the album from which this drawing was taken. Alternatively, this may be one of the cases in which Fuseli has abandoned actual portraiture for a more generalized depiction of a courtesan.
The model for this drawing is possibly Harriot Mellon, the subject of a profile drawing sold at Christie's, London, 18 March 1980, lot 21. That drawing is inscribed 'H.M.' and 'S. H. [Somerset House]. may 29.15.' and with a quotation in Greek from Euripedes' Hippolytus
(act II, verses 640-641): 'I hate a clever woman; for never in my house, at least, may there be a woman cleverer than a woman should be.' Harriot Mellon (1777-1837) was an actress; in 1815 she became the second wife of Füssli's patron, the banker Thomas Coutts, and in 1827 she married the Duke of St. Albans. However, there is no further evidence for the identification of the drawing's model as Mellon, so it is also possible that the sitter is Harriet Moore, the owner of the album from which this drawing was taken. Alternatively, this may be one of the cases in which Fuseli has abandoned actual portraiture for a more generalized depiction of a courtesan.