- Museum number
- 1920,1012.1
- Description
-
Venus rising from the sea, with two nereids, one clasping the shoulders of the other from behind
Pen and brown ink
Verso: Dance of Italian peasants, all linking hands. c.1627-8
Pen and brown ink
- Production date
- 1627-1628
- Dimensions
-
Height: 272 millimetres
-
Width: 250 millimetres
- Curator's comments
- In Hind as by van Dyck (H 25).
This is a preparatory drawing for a cylindrical ivory-carving covering the shaft of a salt-cellar executed by Georg Petel.
Literature: C. White, 'P.P. Rubens', 1987, pp.203-04, fig.227. L. Burchard-R.A. d'Hulst, 'Rubens Drawings', 1963, pp.233-36, no.149, fig.149; Anne-Marie Logan, 'Distinguishing the Drawings by Anthony van Dyck from those of Peter Paul Rubens', in Hans Vlieghe (ed.), "Van Dyck 1599-1999: conjectures and refutations", Turnhout, 2001, p.15, repr. fig.13 (the verso); I. Seligman, 'Lines of Thought', London, 2016, no. 10, p. 45 (the verso).
Rowlands, Rubens: Drawings and Sketches, BMP 1977
This is a preparatory drawing produced for the guidance of Rubens's friend Georg Petel in the execution of a cylindrical ivory-carving, covering the shaft of a saltcellar. Its bowl in the form of a shell, and feet of intertwined dolphins are executed in silver-gilt. We know that it was executed subsequent to an oil-sketch in the collection of Lady Anne Bentinck (Rowlands 1977, cat. no. 175) because of the change in the direction of the head of the nereid which Petel adopted in his carving. The dating of this commission about 1627-8 (for the evidence for this, see Rowlands 1977, cat. no. 175) makes it reasonable also to date the painting of the 'Dance of Italian Peasants', for which there is a preparatory sketch on the verso of this sheet, to approximately the same time.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited
1977 BM, Rubens drawings and sketches, no.177
2004 Aug-Oct, Braunschweig, Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum, 'Rubens and the Baroque Passion'
2016 3 Sep - 6 Nov, Poole Museum, 'Lines of thought: Drawing from Michelangelo to now', no. 10 (verso)
2017 1 Jan - 25 Feb, The Brynmor Jones Library Art Gallery, University of Hull, 'Lines of thought: Drawing from Michelangelo to now', no. 10 (verso)
2017 12 Mar - 5 May, Ulster Museum, Belfast, 'Lines of thought: Drawing from Michelangelo to now', no. 10 (verso)
2017 May - Sep, New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe, 'Lines of thought: Drawing from Michelangelo to now', no. 10 (verso)
2017-2018 Oct - Jan, RISD Museum, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, 'Lines of thought: Drawing from Michelangelo to now', no. 10 (verso)
- Acquisition date
- 1920
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1920,1012.1
