The Drawings of Michelangelo and His Followers in the Ashmolean Museum

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35 0 COPIES AFTER PAINTINGS CATALOGUES 86–87

Museum, Haarlem (Inv. N 1 ∗–N 68 ∗/VT 71 ), was also

once more extensive; some of the mounts carry a second

sequence of numbers, of which the highest is 73. This set,

which contains no copies after the histories, comprises

eighteenignudi, nine Prophets and Sibyls, twenty-three

Ancestors from the spandrels (including one in duplicate),

six Ancestors from the triangles, and twelve of the bronze

nudes (including one in duplicate). The Haarlem draw-

ings are similar in technique to those in the other sets,

but come closest to the relatively less dense renderings in

the de Bruyn Album. Several of them are unfinished and

many display a black chalk underdrawing that differs dis-

tinctly from the final image. They are undoubtedly from

the same workshop if not from the same hand as the other

sets, but they are on a smaller scale than those – measuring

between 110 and 115 mm in height and between 90 and

116 mm in width – and the figures are all rendered at a

more or less constant size. The workshop responsible for

these sets evidently produced series in different categories,

on different scales, and subdivided differently, presumably

in response to the demands of individual clients.

These sets of drawings provide an interesting commen-

tary on the difficulties – both of access to the chapel and

of the fresco’s position – that copying in the Sistine posed

to artists and of the importance of engravings in dissemi-

nating knowledge of Michelangelo’s figures. Drawings of

this type, insouciant in their disregard of accuracy, may

have been intended for sale to tourists, offering an appar-

ently – but deceptively – more immediate impression of

the Sistine vault than the engravings from which they

derive.

In all the instances in which she is represented in these

sets of drawings,Delphicais identified asTiburtina.

History

Jonathan Richardson Senior (L. 2184 ); William Young

Ottley; Samuel Woodburn; Sir Thomas Lawrence (no

stamp); Samuel Woodburn.

References

Lawrence Inventory, 1830 , Case 12 , Drawer 4 ,Portfolio

H[ 1830 - 147 ] (“One an Elaborate Drawing of the whole

of the Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel from M. Angelo.”).

Woodburn,184 2,no. 52 (“By Julio Clovio.”). Woodburn,

184 6,no. 3 (As 184 2.). Fisher, 186 2,p. 3 , pl. 5 (By

Giulio Clovio.). Fisher, 1865 ,p. 22 , II, pl. 5 (As186 2.).

Robinson,187 0,no. 36 (Copy from Michel Angelo.

Nothing “to render the attribution to Clovio other

than conjectural. It may with more likelihood be sup-

posed to be the work of some eminent engraver of

the first half of the sixteenth century.” Includes lunette

compositions later destroyed by the Last Judgement.).

Fisher,187 2, II, p. 20 , pl. 5 (As186 2.). Springer,187 8,

p. 115 (Copy made before theLast Judgementwas painted.).

Fisher,187 9, XXVII/ 29 (“Probably the work of a con-

temporary student.”). Springer, 1883 ,I,15 9 (As187 8.).

Justi, 1900 ,p. 168 (Ascribed to Clovio; shows destroyed

lunettes.). Steinmann, II, 1905 ,p. 245 (Copy.). Thode,

1913 ,p. 210 (Copy.). Parker, 1956 ,no. 356 (Presumably

early, since it shows the lunettes destroyed to make place

for theLast Judgement.). Nesselrath, 1990 ,no. 31 (Must

antedate beginning ofLast Judgement;numerous differ-

ences between drawing and fresco: The smallputtoseen

from the rear between the end lunettes is unlike Ottley’s

engraving that shows thestemmaof Sixtus IV; position

ofJudith and HolofernesandDavid and Goliathinverted.

Anonexistentputtoincluded underZaccarias;Delphica

labelledTiburtina.).

CATALOGUE 87

Recto: The Head of theLibicaand a Study of a Right

Leg

Ve r so: Nude Torso of aPutto

184 6. 102 ;R. 68 ;P.II 357

Dimensions: 219 ×15 0mm

Medium

Black chalk.

Condition

There is a pressed-out vertical central fold and numer-

ous smaller creases and possible fractures. The sheet has

a narrow margin of uneven skinning around all edges,

major abrasions in the image, local staining, and uneven

discolouration.

Inscription

Recto: In ink at the lower right edge:KM?.

Discussion

Although obviously derived from the bust ofLibica, the

drawing on the recto of the present sheet does not show

her head covering and is not a direct copy of Michelan-

gelo’s figure. It might, in principle, have been made from

apreparatory drawing by Michelangelo, but it is more

likely that it is an adaptation by an independent artist.

The leg study seems, in the bulk and massiveness of

the forms, to reflect experience of theLast Judgement