- 24
Master of the Blue Wash
Estimate
7,000 - 9,000 USD
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Description
- Master of the Blue Wash
- A fanciful vine decorated ewer, with a goat and bacchic revelers
- Pen and brown ink and blue wash, over traces of black chalk
Provenance
Thomas Tomkins,
his sale, London, Mr. Hickman's Gallery, 25-28 February 1818, part of lot 289 (as "The Works of Stefano della Bella), for £32.10/-, to Holroyd(?);
Robert Holford,
thence by descent to his son, Sir George Holford,
by whose Executors sold, London, Sotheby's, 22 May 1928, part of lot 29B (as Stefano della Bella), for £145, to Castaguari;
sale, London, Christie's "A Collection of Drawings by Stefano della Bella", 18 March 1975, lot 82 (as Stefano della Bella)
his sale, London, Mr. Hickman's Gallery, 25-28 February 1818, part of lot 289 (as "The Works of Stefano della Bella), for £32.10/-, to Holroyd(?);
Robert Holford,
thence by descent to his son, Sir George Holford,
by whose Executors sold, London, Sotheby's, 22 May 1928, part of lot 29B (as Stefano della Bella), for £145, to Castaguari;
sale, London, Christie's "A Collection of Drawings by Stefano della Bella", 18 March 1975, lot 82 (as Stefano della Bella)
Condition
Hinge mounted. There are a number of small repairs to the sheet, most notably under the vines to the right of the main composition and to the right of the faun on the right. The pen and ink medium remains reasonably fresh as does the characteristic blue wash.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
The artistic personality known as the Master of the Blue Wash was first identified in a 1986 article by Detlef Heikamp.1 His works are known from the album sold by Thomas Tomkins in 1818 (see provenance), which was originally attributed to Stefano Della Bella. Heikamp pointed out that whilst the drawings paraphrase Della Bella's printed material, their technique is subtly different: eleven, for example, use a blue wash, a medium unknown in any authentic drawings by Della Bella.2
1. D. Heikamp, 'Studien zur Mediceischen Glaskunst', in Mitteilungen des Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz, vol. XXX, 1/2, 1986, pp. 214-234
2. P.D. Massar, 'Drawings after Prints by Stefano della Bella', Print Quarterly, vol. XIV, no. 3, September 1997, pp. 283-288