Letter: 1085A.f.1

Materials used in production

Graphite

Components of the work

Support composed of laid paper
Sheet Size Height 203 mm Width 322 mm

Techniques used in production

Handwriting : Graphite on laid paper

Inscription or legends present

• Text: Dear Mr Cartellani / The first part of the design for the mosaic at S. Paul's Rome / goes from here tomorrow. The rest will follow, during the / spring and summer - ('and I' (crossed out)) I hope and intend without interruptions / -- this first part is the sphere of angels at the top ('of the' (crossed out)) / the next will be the central design of Christ enthroned / and after that will follow the sides - my difficulties I / think are chiefly over by now - and yours begin. / if it were possible for you to send over to me an example / of about 2 feet square that I might judge of the / execution and effect - it would be of great help to me / since it is impossible for me to see the progress of the / work at Venice - my engagements being many and importunate here. / I send you also a list of the ('numbered' (inserted above the line with a caret) tesserae - clarified / for the guidance of the workmen - as I ('told you' (crossed out)) said when / you called upon me. The colours are few, and simple. / I send also a drawing of one of the heads and part of / a nimbus and wing, with tesserae arranged in the way / I feel the mosaic should be executed - if the / workmen had this set up before them I believe it / would help them -- they would soon fall into the / way of designing the flow of the lines, and although at / first the work might go slowly, and prove even costley / I believe you would not regret it. I cannot / enough repeat and insist on this point that the / tesserae should not be driven up close to each other / but that a good ('space' (crossed out)) reasonable space should be / left of mortar between them - and that the tesserae / should often be rounded ('and shaped' (crossed out)) at the edges a little / and triangular bits here and there used - and all...
• Location: Recto
• Method of creation: Graphite

Identification numbers

Accession number: 1085A.f.1
Primary reference Number: 82336
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 3 August 2020 Last processed: Tuesday 13 June 2023

Associated departments & institutions

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