91 Assumption of the Virgin
Pen and brown ink and brown wash over black chalk,
indented for transfer; H: 30 cm (nI3/i6 in.); W: 19 cm
(77/16 in.)
83.00.198
MARKS AND INSCRIPTIONS: (Recto) on mount, in-
scribed Rubens, no. 14 in brown ink; (verso) on mount,
inscribed T. Philipe in brown ink.
PROVENANCE: H. Tersmitten, Amsterdam (sale, de
Bary and Yver, Amsterdam, September 23 et seq., 1754,
lot 434); T. Philipe, London; Sir W. Forbes, Pitsligo; by
descent (sale, Christie's, London, April 12, 1983, lot 155).
EXHIBITIONS: None.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: M. Rooses, L'oeuvre de P. P. Rubens
(Antwerp, 1892), vol. 5, p. 61, under no. 1258; M. Jafie,
"Exhibitions for the Rubens Year I," Burlington Magazine
119, no. 894 (September 1977), pp. 620 , 626; J. R. Judson
and C. van de Velde, Book Illustrations and Title-Pages,
Corpus Rubenianum Ludwig Burchard, vol. 21 (Lon-
don and Philadelphia, 1978), pts. I, p. 145, no. 27a; 2, pp.
447-448; D. Freedberg, The Life of Christ After the Pas-
sion, Corpus Rubenianum Ludwig Burchard, vol. 7
(New York, 1984), pp. 141,143, n. 41; J. S. Held, Rubens:
Selected Drawings (Mt. Kisco, 1986), pp. 103, no. 84; 202,
pi. 79.IN 1612 RUBENS WAS COMMISSIONED BY JAN AND
Balthasar Moretus to design illustrations for a new Brevi-
arium Romanum\ the drawings were completed by March
1614.* The present drawing is the ninth original design
by Rubens that is known to exist out of a total of thirteen
(Held 1986, p. I03).^2 It was first published byjaffe (1977,
p. 626 ) as a study for the print. The plate for the engrav-
ing of the Assumption had been cut by Theodore Galle
by April 12, 1614 (Judson and van de Velde 1978, pt. I,
p. 119). The engraving, in reverse of the drawing, fol-
lows it in all essentials (Judson and van de Velde 1978, pt.
2 , fig. 92). A retouched impression of the engraving is in
the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris (inv. c. 10500; Judson
and van de Velde 1978, pt. 2, fig. 93).
The drawing's composition is quite controlled and
classical, echoing the great altarpiece in the Frari, Venice,
by Titian and also reflecting a knowledge of Pordenone
in the rendering of the angels (Judson and van de Velde
1978, pt. i, p. 143). The Museum's study is quite free in
its black chalk underdrawing and contains several penti-
menti, most evident in the figure of the Virgin. This ar-
gues for it being the first complete study for the engrav-
ing. The use of pen and ink and brown wash, without
white heightening, recurs in another study for the Brev-
iarium Romanum, the All Saints (Vienna, Graphische
Sammlung Albertina, inv. 8213 Judson and van de Velde
1978 , pt. 2, pi. 28a). The drawing in Vienna exhibits a
similar system of modeling in thin, parallel strokes and
broad areas of wash, as can be seen in the rather sketchy
rendering of the auxiliary figures in the heavens.- Jan Moretus to Jean Hasrey, Madrid, March 10, 1614, Ar-
chives du Musee Plantin-Moretus, register 13, p. 217, cited in
Judson and van de Velde 1978, pt. 2, p. 399. - For the various prints and drawings associated with the
Breviarium, see Judson and van de Velde 1978, pt. i, pp. 118-
206 FLEMISH SCHOOL • RUBENS