{"id":2574,"date":"2011-12-13T18:01:40","date_gmt":"2011-12-13T22:01:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.vassar.edu\/rosso\/"},"modified":"2013-05-30T11:33:08","modified_gmt":"2013-05-30T15:33:08","slug":"d-54a-b-c-d-e-f-copies-the-royal-elephant-for-the-fresco-in-the-gallery-of-francis-i-fontainebleau","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/rosso\/catalogues\/drawings\/d-54a-b-c-d-e-f-copies-the-royal-elephant-for-the-fresco-in-the-gallery-of-francis-i-fontainebleau\/","title":{"rendered":"D.54A-F (COPIES) Royal Elephant"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the Fresco in the Gallery of Francis I, Fontainebleau<\/strong><\/p>\n

c. 1531\/1532-1534<\/p>\n

D.54A. Berlin, Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Kunstbibliothek, no. 3398.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

D.54A (COPY) Royal Elephant, Berlin<\/p><\/div>\n

Fig.D.54A<\/a><\/p>\n

Pen and brown ink and brown wash over traces of black chalk, 26.8 x 44.8; laid down; wm?.1<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Strong vertical center fold with some of the sheet missing, a tear at the far right from the right shoulder of Pluto to the edge of the sheet, and much faded and\/or abraded at the lower right edge.<\/p>\n

PROVENANCE: J. Richardson (Lugt 2184 or 2170); Joshua Reynolds (Lugt 2364); Destailleur, no. 107 (Lugt 740; see Berckenhagen, below, and Lugt 740).<\/p>\n

LITERATURE:<\/p>\n

Kusenberg, 1933, 164, n. 1, as a copy of Rosso\u2019s fresco in the Gallery of Francis I.<\/p>\n

Berckenhagen, 1968, 11, 12, Fig. 11, as a copy of Rosso\u2019s fresco and perhaps by Thiry.<\/p>\n

Berckenhagen, 1970, 10, 11, as a copy of Rosso\u2019s fresco perhaps by Thiry or Nicolas Belin.<\/p>\n

B\u00e9guin and Pressouyre, 1972, 136 (wrongly as no. 339B), as a copy of Rosso\u2019s fresco with variations in details.<\/p>\n

Wilson-Chevalier, 1982, 6, 14, n. 14, as after Rosso\u2019s fresco.<\/p>\n

Carroll, 1987, 264, 267, n. 1, under no. 83.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

D.54B. Formerly (in 1959) London, DeBeer\u2019s Fine Arts Ltd.<\/strong>2<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Pen and ink and wash, of approximately the same dimensions as the other copies catalogued here.\u00a0 Very much damaged and torn and with a large stain in the center.<\/p>\n

LITERATURE:<\/p>\n

Carroll, 1987, 264, 267, n. 1, under no. 83.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

54C (COPY) Royal Elephant, New York<\/p><\/div>\n

D.54C. New York, Daniel Wildenstein Collection.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fig.D.54C<\/a><\/p>\n

Pen and ink and wash, 28 x 47.6.\u00a0 Creased down the center.<\/p>\n

LITERATURE:<\/p>\n

Panofsky, 1958, Supplement<\/em>, b., as a duplicate of the drawing in the Biblioth\u00e8que Nationale, Paris (see below).<\/p>\n

B\u00e9guin and Pressouyre, 1972, 136, as attributed to Rosso in the Wildenstein Collection and as resembling the drawing in the Biblioth\u00e8que Nationale and Fantuzzi\u2019s etching.<\/p>\n

Terrasse, 1981, 36, n. 2, mentioned.<\/p>\n

Wilson-Chevalier, 1982, 6, 14, n. 14, as after Rosso\u2019s fresco.<\/p>\n

Carroll, 1987, 264, 267, n. 1, under no. 83.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

D.54D (COPY) Royal Elephant, Paris, BN<\/p><\/div>\n

D.54D. Paris, Biblioth\u00e8que Nationale, B. 5 r\u00e9serve, Dessins de l\u2019\u00c9cole de Fontainebleau, Vol. I, no. 31.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fig.D.54D<\/a><\/p>\n

Pen and ink and wash over black chalk, 27.3 x 45.9.\u00a0 Inscribed in ink in the lower right corner: 44<\/em>.\u00a0 Creased down the center.<\/p>\n

PROVENANCE: Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 de l\u2019Alliance des Arts, Paris (Lugt 61); Destailleur; Herbet, (D.3159, Lugt 740); another collector\u2019s mark in blue in the lower left corner.<\/p>\n

LITERATURE:<\/p>\n

Panofsky, 1958, 169-170, n. 42, and Supplement<\/em>, b., as related to Rosso\u2019s fresco in the Gallery of Francis I, and as a duplicate of the drawing in the Wildenstein Collection (see above).<\/p>\n

Berckenhagen, 1968, 11, and Berckenhagen, 1970, 10, as a copy (presumably of Rosso\u2019s fresco).<\/p>\n

B\u00e9guin and Pressouyre, 1972, 136, as anonymous.<\/p>\n

Wilson-Chevalier, 1982, 6, 14, n. 14, as after Rosso\u2019s fresco.<\/p>\n

Marianne Grivel, in Ronsard<\/em>, 1985, 106-107, with Fig., as reproducing the fresco in the Gallery of Francis I.<\/p>\n

Carroll, 1987, 264, 267, n. 1, under no. 83.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

D.54E (COPY) Royal Elephant, Paris, ENSBA<\/p><\/div>\n

D.54E. Paris, Ensba, Masson 1197.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fig.D.54E<\/a><\/p>\n

Pen and ink and wash over black chalk, 28.4 x 47.2; wm.\u00a0 Creased down the center.\u00a0 Inscribed in ink with a monogram on the riser of the upper step at the lower left, and: 1620<\/em> on the riser of the lower step.<\/p>\n

PROVENANCE: Jean Masson (Lugt 1494a); another collector\u2019s mark in the lower right corner.<\/p>\n

LITERATURE:<\/p>\n

Masson, 1927, 24, no. 124, as anonymous, sixteenth century, and as related, with variations, to Rosso\u2019s fresco in the gallery of Francis I.<\/p>\n

Kusenberg, 1931, 150, no. 27, as a copy of Rosso\u2019s fresco.<\/p>\n

B\u00e9guin and Pressouyre, 1972, 136, as anonymous.<\/p>\n

Wilson-Chevalier, 1982, 6, 14, n. 14, as after Rosso\u2019s fresco.<\/p>\n

Carroll, 1987, 264, 267, n. 1, under no. 83.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

D.54F (COPY) Royal Elephant, Paris, Louvre<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

D.54F. Paris, Louvre, Inv. 1598.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fig.D.54Fa<\/a>
\nFig.D.54Fb<\/a> bw<\/p>\n

Pen and ink and wash over black chalk, 27.8 x 46.7; laid down; wm?.\u00a0 Small parts missing from the sheet along the left edge and at the bottom, rubbed at left and right sides, and creased down the middle and along the bottom.<\/p>\n

LITERATURE:<\/p>\n

Kusenberg, 1931, 150, no. 21, as a copy of Rosso\u2019s composition at Fontainebleau.<\/p>\n

Barocchi, 1950, 134, as a copy of Rosso\u2019s fresco.<\/p>\n

Berckenhagen, 1968, 11, n. 9, and Berckenhagen, 1970, 10, as a copy (presumably of Rosso\u2019s fresco).<\/p>\n

B\u00e9guin and Pressouyre, 1972, 136, Fig. 201, as anonymous.<\/p>\n

Wilson-Chevalier, 1982, 6, 14, n. 14, as after Rosso\u2019s fresco.<\/p>\n

Carroll, 1987, 264, 267, n. 1, under no. 83.<\/p>\n

Scailli\u00e9rez, 1992, 132, no. 57A, 133, Fig. A, as a copy of Rosso\u2019s composition possibly from a lost original drawing, and perhaps preparatory to Fantuzzi\u2019s etching.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

These six drawings, all of the same size, are discussed as copies of a single lost drawing by Rosso for his fresco of The Royal Elephant<\/em> in the Gallery of Francis I in P.22, VI N, and in Chapter VIII.\u00a0 It is, however, possible that some, and perhaps all, of them go back to a lost copy, and some of these surviving copies could copy each other.\u00a0 The best version seems to be that in the Wildenstein Collection.<\/p>\n

All the drawings show exactly the same composition, which, however, differs from the fresco in several details.\u00a0 The primary difference is the appearance of the elephant, which in the drawings has a larger head, far longer ears, and a trunk that curves away from the body, not towards it.\u00a0 The strap across the animal\u2019s chest is different and from it hangs a bell (?).\u00a0 Its left foot is more forward and the posture of the crane is not the same.\u00a0 The fleur-de-lis on the elephant\u2019s cover is different, as are Cerberus\u2019s heads.\u00a0 At the upper left the woman is nude.\u00a0 The penmanship of all the copies clearly copies Rosso\u2019s as we know it from such original drawings as the Throne of Solomon<\/em> (Fig.D.34<\/a>), the Pandora and Her Box<\/em> (Fig.D.67a<\/a>), and the Petrarch drawing at Christ Church (Fig.D.47a<\/a>).\u00a0 It is probable that the penmanship of the lost drawing was most similar to that of the Petrarch drawing, rather than to the rapid and somewhat gnarled handling of the Pandora<\/em>.\u00a0 Where the copies most differ graphically is in the strength and disposition of the washes.\u00a0 The Berlin drawing shows them clearest, but they are all of one value. The three drawings in Paris (I do not remember the specific appearance of the copy formerly in London) have paler but also single-toned washes disposed more or less as in the Berlin copy.\u00a0 However, in the Wildenstein copy, at least three tones of washes appear and although some of them seem rather arbitrarily placed, especially the darkest ones, their employment recalls the use of various tones of wash in Rosso\u2019s Throne of Solomon<\/em> and in the Pandora<\/em> drawing.\u00a0 The Petrarch drawing and the Annunciation<\/em> in the Albertina (Fig.D.43a<\/a>) show at least two tones of dark wash to supplement the dark tonality established by the dark washed paper on which they are executed.\u00a0 The Wildenstein copy would seem to indicate something of the tonal range of Rosso\u2019s lost drawing that is missing from the other copies.\u00a0 In the brush strokes of the wash on the ear of the elephant, the Wildenstein drawing may also show something even more specific of the handling of Rosso\u2019s lost drawing, similar to the shading on the body of the central figure in the Pandora<\/em> drawing.<\/p>\n

However, the absence of this detail in all the other copies – although it may appear slightly in the Ensba drawing – makes its appearance in the Wildenstein drawing subject to wondering what this kind of shading represents of the original.\u00a0 For if it reflects the application of a dark wash, there is no reason why it should not show up in the other drawings, unless they all copy one lost copy that did not show these strokes because of an oversight of the first copyist.\u00a0 However, it is very likely that what these strokes, or more exactly the areas between them, represent is an attempt to indicate the application of white highlights on a dark wash or dark washed ground, such as appears in the Albertina Annunciation<\/em> and the Petrarch drawing.\u00a0 If this is true, it would mean that Rosso\u2019s lost drawing was done with pen and ink and washes, heightened with white, on a dark ground as was the lost original of his drawing for the early version of the Scene of Sacrifice<\/em> (Fig.D.50B<\/a>).\u00a0 The somewhat unsuccessful use of dark washes in all the copies further suggests that they are all translations into a simpler mode of the original drawing that was technically and in its effects richer and more complex.<\/p>\n

As the Royal Elephant<\/em> composition would seem to be from the early phase of Rosso\u2019s activity on the designs for the gallery, done between c.1531\/1532 and 1534, when the stuccoers began to work in the gallery, the lost drawing for this scene must have been done within this period (see P.22).<\/p>\n

PRINT: Fantuzzi, E.65 (Fig.E.65<\/a>).\u00a0 Etching derived from Rosso\u2019s original drawing or from a copy of it.<\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\n

<\/a>1<\/sup> I wish to thank Dr. E. Berckenhagen for providing the information on this drawing and a photograph of it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

<\/a>2<\/sup> It has come to my attention that the drawing may have been acquired by Lord Methuen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For the Fresco in the Gallery of Francis I, Fontainebleau c. 1531\/1532-1534 D.54A. Berlin, Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Kunstbibliothek, no. 3398. Fig.D.54A Pen and brown ink and brown wash over traces of black chalk, 26.8 x 44.8; laid down; wm?.1\u00a0 Strong vertical center fold with some of the sheet missing, a tear at the far […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"parent":820,"menu_order":58,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2574","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/rosso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2574","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/rosso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/rosso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/rosso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/rosso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2574"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/rosso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2574\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9276,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/rosso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2574\/revisions\/9276"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/rosso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/820"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/rosso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2574"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}