- Museum number
- 1895,0915.774
- Description
-
A faun, semi-nude and wearing a cloak, attacking a snake
Pen and brown ink
- Production date
- 1485-1500 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 290 millimetres
-
Width: 172 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- The attribution of this drawing continues to divide critics. The dimensions of the drawn figure concords exactly with that of the engraving (no. 83 in the 1992 exhibition; best BM impression 1895,0915.80) so it was either traced from the print or was itself the design used by the printmaker. A third possibility is that it is a faithful copy after Mantegna's lost drawing for the engraving. David Ekserdjian in the 1992 Mantegna exhibition catalogue argued that the quality of the drawing was greater than the print which meant that it was more likely a preparatory study for it rather than a copy: 'in terms of quality - in the power of the facial expression, in the subtlety of the chiaroscuro and the precision of the cast shadows - the drawing far surpasses the print'. The rather crude outlining in dark ink he felt 'may represent later reinforcements'. Michael Hirst in his review was not convinced that the quality of the drawing was sufficiently high to warrant an attribution to Mantegna. George Goldner was slightly more positive and inclined to accept the attribution to Mantegna, but felt that the reinforced outlines did not look like a later addition.
For the present the drawing is still kept as a Manetgna school drawing. Comparison between the more nuanced pen contours to emphasise the three-dimensionality of the form in securely autograph drawings by Mantegna, such as Popham and Pouncey nos. 159-60, and those in the present work do suggest that this is an excellent copy after his work rather than an original.
H.C.
Lit.: J.C. Robinson, 'Descriptive Catalogue of Drawings by the Old Masters, forming the Collection of John Malcolm of Poltalloch, Esq.', London, 1876, no. 327 (as Mantegna); A.E. Popham and P. Pouncey, 'Italian drawings in the BM, the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries', London, 1950, I, no. 163, II, pl. CL (with previous literature); A. Mezzetti, 'Un "Ercole e Anteo" del Mantegna', "Bollettino d'arte", 4th ser., XLIII, 1958, p/ 243, no. 25 (as Mantegna); J.A. Levenson ; K. Oberhuber and J.L. Sheehan, in exhib. cat, Washington, The National Gallery of Art, 'Early Italian engravings from the National Gallery of Art', 1973, p. 230; D. Ekserdjian, in exhib. cat., London, Royal Academy and New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 'Andrea Mantegna', 1992, no. 82 (as Mantegna); M. Hirst, review of Mantegna exhibition, 'The Burlington Magazine', CXXXIV, 1992, p. 321; G.R. Goldner, review of the Mantegna exhibition, "Master Drawings", XXXI, Spring 1993, p. 175 (? Mantegna)
Popham & Pouncey 1950
The drawing corresponds closely with the engraving in the same direction signed "I.F. T." (B. xiii, p. 324, 12), for which we believe it to be the engraver's drawing. The only differences are that neither the inscription "DIVO HERCVLI INVICTO" nor the signature "I.F. T." appear in the drawing. The missing fragment is not big enough to have contained the former.
If the subject is Hercules and the Hydra, as the engraver's inscription implies, it is curious that the hero is represented beardless and with pointed faun's ears. The inscription on the engraving seems, from the curious inversion of many of the letters, to be copied from that in the 'Hercules and Antaeus' (B. xiii, p. 237, 16). We suspect that the engraver copied the figure from some such composition by Mantegna as the two engraved 'Bacchanals' - in type and feeling this faun is like those represented there - and arbitrarily called it Hercules. Its ultimate source would, however, seem to be the antique dancing faun in the tribune of the Uffizi, which is claimed by Ilse Blum ('Andrea Mantegna und die Antike', Strassburg, 1936, p. 92), with much less justification, as the source of the drinking faun on the extreme r. of the 'Bacchanal with the Tub' (B. xiii, p. 240, 19).
There seems to us to be no reason for connecting the present drawing with that in the Victoria and Albert Museum (Dyce 148; H. Reitlinger, 'A Selection of Drawings . . . ', London, 1921, pl. III) other than the presence in the latter of the initials "IFT" inscribed on a tablet; and these, on examination, appear to be a later addition.
Literature: JCR 327; Hind, B.M., p. 359; the same, v, p. 26, under no. 20.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
1879 May-Jun, Paris, École des Beaux-Arts, 'Des Dessins de Maîtres Anciens', no. 167
1992 Jan-Apr, RA, Mantegna, no. 82
1992 May-Jul, Met., NY, Mantegna, no. 82
2016-17, Oct-Jan, Suzhou, 'Italian Renaissance Drawings', no. 12
2019 11 Apr-30 Jun, Macau Museum of Art, Macau, 'Italian Renaissance Drawings'
2021-2022 3 Sept – 20 Feb, Beijing, MWOODS, Italian Renaissance Drawings
- Acquisition date
- 1895
- Acquisition notes
- Verso inscribed by Robinson with a note on provenance
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1895,0915.774