Girtin, Thomas (1775 – 1802) – Rome; the Temple of Saturn after Charles-Louis Clérisseau (1721-1820).
Girtin, Thomas (1775 - 1802)
Rome; the Temple of Saturn after Charles-Louis Clérisseau (1721-1820).
Pencil, pen, brush and ink. 1797/98. Signed. Provenance: William Henry Millais (1828-99); Ernest
Heinzer; Sotheby's, 13th July 1995, Lot 25; Spink & Son Ltd, London; their sale, Christie's South
Kensington, 21st June 1998, Lot 109. Exhibited: Spink, London, 1996, No.15. Literature: Greg
Smith, 'Thomas Girtin: The Art of Watercolour', Tate, 2002, Cat No. 27, p.47; Greg Smith, 'Thomas
Girtin (1775-1802): An Online Catalogue, Archive and Introduction to the Artist', Cat no. TG0895.
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This sketch was made from part of an etching entitled 'Inside the Temple of Concord' by Domenico Cunego (1727-1803) after a composition by Charles-Louis Clérisseau (1721-1820). Girtin was commissioned by his patron John Henderson (1764-1843) to make a full copy drawing of the print, which is now in the British Museum. This small study may have been made in preparation for this work at Henderson's home, where he kept a large collection of prints. Girtin made another watercolour of this subject a few years later, now in a private collection. We are grateful to Greg Smith from whose catalogue raisonné the information in this entry is taken.
This work appears in the Exhibition:
BRITISH WORKS ON PAPER 2025