drawing
- Museum number
- 1997,0712.64
- Description
-
Two studies of a mother and child
Black chalk
- Production date
- 1759-1802 (c.)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 104 millimetres
-
Width: 107 millimetres
- Curator's comments
- This was one of just three British drawings in the collection of Edmund Schilling, who specialised in the study of early German drawings. Romney's son recorded that when his father worked on a painting, he 'made several studies either varied in part or in whole,and executed in a slight bold or rapid manner ... and from these he afterwards made his selection.' Romney excelled at depictions of maternal affection and rapidly-drawn sketches like this were made throughout his career.
Lit.: R. Schilling (ed.), 'Die von Edmund Schilling gesammelten Zeichnungen', published privately, Edgware, 1982, p. 245, 'Das kleine Album', no.72.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
1997-8 Sept-Jan. BM Schilling Bequest
- Acquisition date
- 1997
- Acquisition notes
- In 1997, the Museum acquired on the death of Mrs Rosi Schilling the majority of a collection of mostly northern Old Master drawings assembled by her late husband the curator and later drawings dealer and adviser, Edmund Schilling (1888-1974). Schilling was born in Germany and came to Britain in 1937 after the rise of the Nazis. He was prominent as a specialist in German Old Master drawings and his widow’s bequest in his memory was predominantly made up of studies that he had collected in this field. Given its importance, the Museum accepted the bequest for public benefit in good faith, and has afterwards researched its history, insofar as it has been able. There remain however many works in the bequest with uncertain or incomplete provenance for the years 1933-45 and the Museum welcomes information and assistance in the investigation and clarification of the provenance of these works during that era.
This drawing was acquired by Edmund Schilling for a small album (no. 72) that he compiled for his wife, Rosi Schilling (see for further details 1997,0713.1; for the original album, see 159.b.28).
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1997,0712.64
