drawing
- Museum number
- 2014,7028.1
- Description
-
Three ancient Roman soldiers turned to the left
Pen and black ink, black wash, heightened with white, over black chalk
- Production date
- 1790 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 583 millimetres
-
Width: 456 millimetres
- Curator's comments
- Watermark: Auvergne
The drawing was catalogued by Philip Conisbee as Labadye in the 1975 Heim Gallery French Neoclassicism drawings catalogue based on its similarity to a signed work by the artist originating from the same portfolio as it came from. Although the attibution is difficult to verify as Labadye drawings are extremely rare, it is likely to be correct since it is not dissimilar to black ink drawings by Vincent from the late 1780s when he was his pupil, see for example the drawing of a man in 17thc. costume in the ENSBA, Paris, J.-P. Cuzin and I. Mayer-Michalon, 'François-André Vincent 1746-1816 entre Fragonard et David', Paris, 2013, no. 501 D, illustrated in colour p. 178.
As François Marandet noted (email 8/9/15) the drawing is a free copy of the right-hand part of Poussin's 'Coriolanus' from the early 1650s: the left-hand figure in the drawing is Coriolanus gazing down at his wife, mother, sons and matrons of Rome begging him to spare his native city. Poussin's painting was seized from the collection of the émigré Simon-Charles Boutin during the French Revolution and later sent to Les Andelys (close to the painter's birthplace) in 1802. The present drawing likely was made before it was sent to Normandy where it remains in the Musée Nicolas Poussin.
HC
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
2015 July-Sep, BM, 'Unity and Simplicity: Neoclassicism in Europe'.
- Acquisition date
- 2014
- 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.
Presented by Frances Carey and David Bindman in memory of Philip Conisbee (1946-2008)
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 2014,7028.1
