Crispijn de Passe the Elder (1564-1637)
Tereus cutting out the tongue of Philomela c.1600
Pen and brown ink with brown and grey wash; indented for transfer | 7.2 x 13.0 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 914964
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A drawing of Tereus, outside a hut on the right, brandishing a sword in one hand and scissors in the other, about to cut out the tongue of his sister-in-law Philomela. On the left Tereus, Philomela, and their friends disembark from the ship which brought them to Thrace (from Book VI, Ovid's Metamorphoses). From one of two 18th century albums of drawings, which, with the exception of four (W&C 134-7), were all preparatory studies for an edition of illustrations to Ovid's Metamorphoses. They were engraved in reverse by the artist, and were accompanied by distichs at the bottom of each plate. The first edition was published in Cologne in 1602, and the second in 1607.
Provenance
Possibly Zaccaria Sagredo (d. 1729); from whose heirs bought by Joseph Smith,1752; from whom bought by George III, 1762; first recorded in a Royal Collection inventory of c.1810 (Inv. A, p.150: 'Designs from Ovid's Metamorphoses. Pen & Ink? by
2 vols. obl: 4to. Vol I - 41 pages. Vol: 2 - 41. pages') -
Medium and techniques
Pen and brown ink with brown and grey wash; indented for transfer
Measurements
7.2 x 13.0 cm (sheet of paper)
Object type(s)
Other number(s)
RL 14964
