- Museum number
- 1946,0209.32
- Description
-
Henry IV submitting to Gregory VII at Canossa, study for a fresco; with onlookers
Pen and brown ink and brown wash, heightened with white, over black chalk, on blue-green paper
Verso: Two studies for the figure of Henry IV bending forward
Black chalk
- Production date
- 1557-1609
- Dimensions
-
Height: 424 millimetres
-
Width: 239 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- Study for the fresco on the end wall of the Sala Regia in the Vatican, on the right of the door leading to the Cappella Paolina (illustrated in Acidini Luchinat I, p. 34).
Lit: J.A. Gere and P. Pouncey, 'Italian drawings in the BM, Artists working in Rome', London, 1983, no. 291; C. Acidini Luchinat, 'Taddeo e Federico Zuccari, fratelli pittori del cinquecento', Milan, 1998, I, pp. 152-3 and 155, n. 92 (with a list of related drawings and copies), fig. 37
Gere & Pouncey 1983
A study for the fresco on the end wall of the Sala Regia in the Vatican, on the r. of the door leading into the Cappella Paolina (Venturi, ix5, fig. 517; Gere, pl. 159). According to Vasari (vii, p. 95), Taddeo Zuccaro began the decoration of this wall but left it unfinished when he died in September 1566, having been interrupted by the death of Pius IV in December 1565 and the ensuing conclave. Drawings establish Taddeo's responsibility for the scene on the l. of the door, 'The Siege of Tunis', and for the 'soprapporta' painting of two allegorical figures (see 1947,0412.154). 1946,0209.32 and the closely related study for the same composition in the Louvre (4452; Gere, 'Louvre Exh.', 1969, no. 60, pl. xiv), both undoubtedly by Federico, show that this must have been the part of the wall left unfinished by Taddeo, and that it was one of the several such works completed, probably not long after Taddeo's death, by Federico.
The Louvre drawing appears to be the definitive 'modello' for the painting. It is more carefully executed than 1946,0209.32 and differs from the latter, and agrees with the painting, in the pose of the standing figure on the extreme l. and in including the scene, visible through the window in the top l.-hand corner, of the Pope being ill-treated by the Emperor's soldiers.
Literature: Gere, Louvre Exh., 1969, under no. 60
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
2007-8 Oct-Jan, Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum, 'Taddeo Zuccaro:...'
- Acquisition date
- 1946
- Acquisition notes
- See Popham's report to the Trustees dated 18 January 1946. It makes it clear that Colnaghi had acted on commission from Popham, who only subsequently was able to seek the Trusstees' approval for the expenditure.
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.
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1946,0209.32
