drawing
- Museum number
- 1937,1008.11
- Description
-
Sketch for a head of Titania; bust to front, eyes slightly to right, with long curling hair
Black chalk
- Production date
- 1734-1802
- Dimensions
-
Height: 103 millimetres
-
Width: 131 millimetres
- Curator's comments
- Title according to Christie's sale catalogue, 12.vii.37/37.
This sketch is likely to have been a study for a larger work by George Romney, 'Titania, Puck and the Changeling', however very few similarities can be noted between this sketch and the painting. That it is a preparatory sketch can only be assumed from its title from the Christies sales catalogue and by the fact that Romney's son is quoted in the Schilling Bequest exhibition catalogue, stating that Romney 'made several studies either in varied in part or in whole, and executed in a slight bold and rapid manner just sufficient to convey the ideas and from these he afterwards made his selection.' (see cat no.62).
Wards and Roberts' catalogue also indicates that there were numerous sketches made for the painting of 'Titania, Puck and the Changeling' at the the Romney sale of work in 1807. Other studies were sold at Christies in 1817, 1821,1827, 1846, 1884 and 1889. Rev John Romney, George Romney's son, is quoted in Ward and Roberts with the following statement, 'those various unfinished pictures representing Titania under different circumstances and in different altitudes', proving that this drawing could well be one of the many sketches made of Titania.
For more information regarding George Romney's Shakespeare series, see curatorial comment for 1937,1008.8.
See also, Ward & Roberts, 'Romney: A Biographical and Critical Essay of his works and catalogue of his works', (1904), pp. 193-198. Also see Bolletino, Scenes iv, 1962, 369.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1937
- Acquisition notes
- This item has an uncertain or incomplete provenance for the years 1933-45. The British Museum welcomes information and assistance in the investigation and clarification of the provenance of all works during that era.
Agnews purchased 1937-10-8-9 to 11 at Christie's sale 12.vii.37/37.
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1937,1008.11
