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1 of 253523 objects
Crispijn de Passe the Elder (1564-1637)
Minerva and Envy c.1600
Pen and brown ink with brown and grey wash; indented for transfer | 7.4 x 12.7 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 914945
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A drawing of Minerva, standing on a cloud on the left, ordering Envy, seated and eating snakes in the entrance to her cave to the right, to instil jealousy into Aglauros, one of the daughters of Cecrops (from Book II, Ovid's Metamorphoses). From one of two 18th century albums of drawings, which, with the exception of four (W&C 134-7), were all preparatory studies for an edition of illustrations to Ovid's Metamorphoses. They were engraved in reverse by the artist, and were accompanied by distichs at the bottom of each plate. The first edition was published in Cologne in 1602, and the second in 1607.
Provenance
Possibly Zaccaria Sagredo (d. 1729); from whose heirs bought by Joseph Smith,1752; from whom bought by George III, 1762; first recorded in a Royal Collection inventory of c.1810 (Inv. A, p.150: 'Designs from Ovid's Metamorphoses. Pen & Ink? by
2 vols. obl: 4to. Vol I - 41 pages. Vol: 2 - 41. pages') -
Medium and techniques
Pen and brown ink with brown and grey wash; indented for transfer
Measurements
7.4 x 12.7 cm (sheet of paper)
Object type(s)
Other number(s)
RL 14945
