Notes on the statuary of the Gallerie Tribuna: 832/5.f.5

Materials used in production

Brown ink

Components of the work

Support composed of laid paper
Leaf Size Height 213 mm Width 150 mm

Techniques used in production

Handwriting : Pen and brown ink on laid paper

Inscription or legends present

• Text: 5
• Location: Recto, upper right
• Method of creation: Brown ink

Inscription present: [i] preceding word crossed through in brown ink; [ii] - preceding word crossed through in brown ink; [iii] preceding word crossed through in brown ink, the following word above the line; [iv] the preceding word crossed through in brown ink; [v] the preceding three words crossed through in brown ink, the following four words above the line

• Text: of a good taste & the building is very / handsome their[i] the 2d row of Columns are segments of Octogons, there is a row of Pillasters above which support the cornice / Gallerie / Tribuna / the principal object & which faces / the door is the Venus de Medicis / the arms were restored by a Flemish Sculptor / at Rome employed in the service of the house of / Medicis, the Marble is Parian, the left arm / is original almost as low as the elbow & by the / indentation round it seems formerly to have had a metal bracelet round it, the / hair has been painted brown, but the hair / has suffered greatly & scarce any traces of the / painting remains, the face also has suffered considerably, a new end has been added to / the nose & a little bit to the right sides of / the chin which gives a little harshness to / the countenance, the fiugre has been broke / in the following places, across[ii] the neck, the / narrow part of the body, the thighs, the / legs in 2 places, the Marble is of so tender / a tint & transparent, the appearance of / the flesh so soft with a gentle polish on / it, the attitude is so graceful & has[iii] seems so much / the[iv] in motion together with a charming light - / -ness of proportions which give it[v] that the whole effect is exquisite / this figure was finished intirely[sic] with the tool / without a rasp
• Location: Recto
• Method of creation: Brown ink

Inscription present: [i] preceding three words crossed through in brown ink, the following word above the line

• Text: the Boxers in Parian marble, white of a delicate colour, has greatly the appearance / of flesh it has been much broke but is well / restored, by the style of workmanship it seems / to have been done[i] be nearly of the same age / with the Niobe family, John of Bologna seems / to have studied this group particularly by / the composition of his Hercules & Centaur / 7 the Rape of the Sabines, this is on / the right hand of the Venus, on the left / is the Rotator a fine figure, next on / one side of the door is the young Apollo / on the other side is the Dancing Faun / round the room are hung pictures by / Raffaele, & da Vinci, Perugino, Titian / Guercino, Andrea del Sarto & c. / on each side of the Tribuna are rooms / filled with Ancient Statuary pictures & / drawings, in one room on the right hand / of the Venus is the fine bust of Cicero / the nose & great part of the Ears are modern
• Location: Verso
• Method of creation: Brown ink

Identification numbers

Accession number: 832/5.f.5
Primary reference Number: 37922
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Thursday 20 May 2021 Last processed: Tuesday 13 June 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Paintings, Drawings and Prints