The Peach Girl
Printmaker:
Watson, James
Publisher:
Watson, James
Draughtsman:
Carriera, Rosalba
(After)
After a pastel drawing of this composition, c.1720-80, of which there are three known works, the most detailed being that in a Private Collection in Milan (Jeffares, Dictionary of Pastellists, J.21.1312; Sani, 2007, cat. no. 356. This work features the foliage and tree trunk as reproduced in Watson's print); a version with the title 'L'Éte' (Summer) and with a pendant, Autumn was sold at the Matthiesen Gallery, London, 1987 (Jeffares, J.21.1309. This work also features the foliage and trunks, but to a lesser degree)) and a copy sold at Sotheby's, London in 1975 (Jeffares, J.21.1314)). Half-length, to waist, female figure facing left, head turned to address the spectator. She wears rustic dress with light-coloured chemise and bodice over with lacing at the front. She holds a peach in her right hand and carries several others in a cloth/apron in front. A shadowy background with a tree trunk visible behind and to the right. The mezzotints by James Watson and James Wilson (Chaloner Smith, 22; see P.15110-R) after this work are known by the title, 'Peach Girl', but the original work has been associated subsequently with Carriera's several allegorical representations of The Four Seasons, as a personification of Summer (The Matthiesen Gallery assigned the title, 'An allegory of Summer, a girl holding peaches', to the work). An old inscription of 'Autumn' on the verso of this print also relates to this idea.
History note: VanSittart gave 1,485 engravings to the Fitzwilliam Museum in 1879 and this mezzotint was probably included within this group. The number written in graphite probably relates to some kind of count by curators at the time of the acquisition.
Given by Augustus Arthur VanSittart, ?1879
Method of acquisition: Given (1879) by VanSittart, Augustus Arthur
Mezzotint. Trimmed within the platemark to left and right margins; platemark visible, upper and lower, with narrow margins. Scratched letter proof with uncleaned inscription space. Artists' names scratched to lower left: 'Rosalba pinx.t' and lower right: 'Ja.s Watson fecit'. Inscribed in graphite on the recto: '319'. Inscribed on the verso: 'Vansittart Collection' and 'Autumn'. See also, P.15110-R, James Wilson's plate after the same work by Carriera.
Accession number: P.15101-R
Primary reference Number: 240129
Goodwin (Watson): 198 (undescribed early state; annotated as I)
Chaloner Smith: 166 (undescribed early state; annotated as I)
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Paintings, Drawings and Prints
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "The Peach Girl" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/240129 Accessed: 2024-04-23 09:30:48
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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/240129
|title=The Peach Girl
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-04-23 09:30:48|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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