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Sir David Wilkie (1785-1841)

A study for "Blind-Man's-Buff" c. 1810 - c. 1811

Pen and brown ink | 8.1 x 10.3 cm (whole object) | RCIN 933857

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  • A pen and ink sketch for Wilkie's oil painting Blind-Man's-Buff, showing a blindfolded man in an interor with arms outstretched searching for the other figures in the room who are lined up behind him or climbing on a bench to the right to avoid detection. Verso: a pen and ink sketch of a female figure?

    Blind-Man's-Buff (RCIN 405537) was commissioned by the Prince Regent as a companion to Edward Bird’s Country Choristers (RCIN 405540); the Prince was so pleased with the finished painting that he then commissioned another work by Wilkie as a companion to Blind-Man's-Buff, the Penny Wedding (RCIN 405536).

    The oil sketch for Blind-Man's-Buff (Tate) is dated 1811 and many drawings exist for the composition and individual elements. Wilkie dated the final painting 1812, but was still working on it in 1813, redoing figures, according to Farington, with ‘models to sit for him’, his usual practice from which he had departed. Wilkie was paid 500 guineas for the finished work which hung in the Upper Anti Room at Carlton House with works by Adriaen and Isaac Ostade, Jan Steen and others. In 1823 it was sent to the King's Lodge (later Royal Lodge) in Windsor Park, the home of the King's sporting and rustic paintings.
    Provenance

    Purchased by Queen Elizabeth II at Christie's, 5 June 2003; possibly previously in the John Brett collection

  • Medium and techniques

    Pen and brown ink

    Measurements

    8.1 x 10.3 cm (whole object)

  • Other number(s)

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