Allegorical composition for the lid of a harpsichord: PD.7-1954

Awaiting location update

Titles

Allegorical composition for the lid of a harpsichord

Maker(s)

Draughtsman: Thornhill, James

Entities

Drawing

Notes

History note: H.S Reitlinger (Lugt 2274a), his Sale, Sotheby's, 26 May, 1954, part VI, lot 591 (£75)

Measurements and weight

Height: 219 mm
Width: 440 mm

Relative size of this object

What does this represent?

Relative size of this object is displayed using code inspired by Good Form and Spectacle's work on the British Museum's Waddeson Bequest website and their dimension drawer. They chose a tennis ball to represent a universally sized object, from which you could envisage the size of an object.

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1954) by The Friends of the Fitzwilliam Museum

School or Style

British

Materials used in production

Graphite
Brown ink
Red chalk

Components of the work

Support composed of paper

Techniques used in production

Drawing : Red chalk and traces of graphite, pen and brown ink over traces of incised line, on paper

Inscription or legends present

Text: Peace introduces Arts & Sciences, who sacrifices to Apollo & c. / Contention twixt Apollo & Pan determined by Midas. / Contest between ye Muses & Pierides, / Apollo & ye 9 Muses, Mercury, Helicon & c. / The Muses punish Thamyris, for his insolence in contending wth them. / K:Pyreneus endeavours to ravish ye Muses, they change themselves / into birds & escape (in Thornhill's hand)
Location: Recto
Method of creation: Pen and brown ink

Text: Apollo, inventr of Physick, Muscik, Poetry, Rhetoric / The Muses show Minerva, Helicon, Ovid m 35 (?). / Jupiter or ye Divine mind inspires Apollo, he the Muses, the thei(r)? / ofspring.(sic) Ovid p. 96 / The Muse Clio relates to Minerva / The story of ye Pierides being vanquisht. / The Muses vanquish ye Sirens, & pull their feathers / 4 Arts ascribed to Apollo, Musick, Archery, Physick, Poetry. / The 3 sister Arts, Painting, Poesy & Musick, offer tribute to Apollo. introd. by Mercury, by Helicon, Little Genii of those Sciences (in Thornhill's hand)
Location: To right
Method of creation: Pen and brown ink

Inscription present: beneath a scale to show proportions

Text: Mr. Handel has (or had) the Harpsichord this design was made for.
Location: Below
Method of creation: Brown ink

Text: Jas Thornhill
Location: Lower left
Method of creation: Graphite

Text: ... / Peace ... / ..... (illegible)
Location: Centre, below the inscription
Method of creation: Pen and ink

Text: ... / ... / ... / 3 Sister / Arts / Painting / Poes(y?) / Musick / Sacr to Apoll / Muses & (?divine) / at Helicon s(pring?)
Location: To the right, below the inscription
Method of creation: Pen and ink

Text: The punishment of Thamyris by ye Muses / Apollo Pan & Midas / The 4 Arts ascribed to Apollo. / Pierides contest with ye Muses & c. / Arts & Sciences sacrifice to Apollo, introd: by peace & c.
Location: Verso
Method of creation: Pen and brown ink

Text: Sir J. Thornhill. / Design for Handel's Harpsichord
Location: Verso
Method of creation: Graphite

Identification numbers

Accession number: PD.7-1954
Primary reference Number: 13813
Lugt: 2274a
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 3 August 2020

Associated departments & institutions

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

<div class="text-center"> <figure class="figure"> <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/pdp/pdp13/PD_7_1954.jpg" alt="Allegorical composition for the lid of a harpsichord" class="img-fluid" /> <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Allegorical composition for the lid of a harpsichord</figcaption> </figure> </div>