The Drawings of Michelangelo and His Followers in the Ashmolean Museum

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0521551335 c 06 CUNY 160 /Joannides 052155 133 1 January 11 , 2007 11 : 50

CATALOGUES 88–89 COPIES AFTER PAINTINGS 353

four edges to the backboard of the mount, so the verso is

not visible.

Numbering

In pen and ink at the lower left corner, an old number 48.

Discussion

A copy of good quality, despite the slight awkwardness of

the foreshortening, datable around the middle of the six-

teenth century, but probably not made directly from the

fresco. No author has been suggested, and the drawing

does not seem to be by any of the identified copyists of

Michelangelo. However, Francesco Salviati made a num-

ber of precise red chalk copies after individual figures and

details from Michelangelo’s ceiling during the153 0s (and

later), some of which were themselves copied by other

artists, and the present drawing might prove to have been

copied from a lost drawing by Salviati. It does parallel

his habit of juxtaposing areas of high finish with areas of

simple outline. Vasari records that he and Salviati copied

one another’s copies – although the present drawing is

not likely to be by Vasari – and no doubt this practice was

widespread among young artists.

History

Sir Joshua Reynolds (L. 2364 ); Sir Thomas Lawrence

(L. 2445 ); Samuel Woodburn.

References

Woodburn, 184 2,no. 23 (“Study for the Adam in

theCreation of Eve...careful drawing in black chalk.”).

Woodburn,184 6,no. 31 (As184 2.). Fisher, 1852 ,p. 4 ,

pl. 17 (As Woodburn,184 2.). Fisher, 1865 ,I,p. 17 , pl. 17

(As 1852 .). Robinson,187 0,no. 34 (Copy from Michel

Angelo, probably executed soon after the fresco’s comple-

tion.). Fisher,187 2, II, p. 22 , pl. 17 (As 1852 .). Gotti, 1875 ,

II, p. 221 (“Studio per l’Adamo, nel fresco che rappresenta

la creazione di Eva. Un bel disegno.” Mistakenly located

in the collection of Frederick Locker in confusion with

the study for Adam now in the British Museum, W 11 .).

Fisher,187 9, XXV/ 27 (“Copy from the fresco.”). Thode,

1913 ,p. 210 (Copy.). Parker, 1956 ,no. 358 (Mid-sixteenth

century.).

CATALOGUE 89

The ProphetIonas

184 6. 104 ;R. 35 ;P.II35 9

Dimensions: 402 × 281 mm

Medium

Black chalk. Later framing line in pen and ink.