December 2023
Friday, December 1
Trois Crayons (French, "three crayons") The technique of drawing with black, white and red chalks (à trois crayons) on a paper of middle tone, for example mid-blue or buff. It was particularly popular in early and mid-18th century France with artists such as Antoine Watteau and François Boucher. (Clarke, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms)
Coming Up
Dear all,
Greetings from Trois Crayons HQ. For the trade, time to take a breath following the excitement of the FAB, PAN and the Parisian auctions. For those with enough sense to separate art from work, here is a snapshot of what has been going on and what is coming up in the world of drawing.
A “secret” room hidden beneath the Medici Chapels in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence has opened its doors to the public for the first time, four at a time. In 1530 Michelangelo spent two months hiding in the chamber to evade Pope Clement VII’s death sentence. The chalk and charcoal drawings that adorn the walls read like a “greatest hits” of the master’s finished works. In the UK new shows on Holbein and the Impressionists have opened their doors, whilst unfortunately in Paris the Louvre has been forced to prematurely close theirs for the show on Claude Gillot due to a water leak. In Italy, the Carabinieri provided a timely reminder that we must all check our attics for forgotten Botticellis, as a 15th century work, estimated at 100€ million, was recovered from a family home in Naples. This story follows the opening of a groundbreaking new exhibition of artist’s drawings in San Francisco earlier this month. The show is the first ever to focus exclusively on Botticelli’s graphic work. In New York the Metropolitan Museum has reopened its European Galleries to the public following a $150 million renovation. The Events page of our own website, dedicated to drawing-related exhibitions, talks and events, has seen remodelling on a similarly grand scale allowing readers to filter events by location or type. If you are the organiser of an ongoing or upcoming event, or simply know of one that our readership would enjoy that has not yet been included, please do let our editor know.
For this month’s edition we have picked out 10 current events from across the UK and around the world, taken a trip to the restoration studio with Helen Loveday, spoken with Grant Lewis about his favourite drawing, reviewed the Holbein exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery, and recommended a selection of literary and audio highlights. As ever, you can test your inner connoisseur with our real or fake section.
Please direct any recommendations, feedback or event listings to tom@troiscrayons.art, they are all appreciated.
EVENTS
This month we have picked out 5 highlights from the UK and 5 from further afield. The web version of the newsletter will provide a more complete overview. For more events, see our new Events page.
uk
Wordlwide
Drawing of the Month
Andrea del Verrocchio (1435-1488)
Head of a woman with elaborate coiffure; looking down slightly to left
Charcoal (some oiled?), heightened with white, pen and brown ink on her left eye, 325 x 272 mm, British Museum, London, Inv. no.: 1895,0915.785
Grant Lewis, Milein Cosman Curator at the British Museum, has kindly chosen our third drawing of the month.
1895 was a good year for the British Museum. That September, the Department of Prints and Drawings bagged the astonishing collection of John Malcolm of Poltalloch, which boasted Botticellis, Raphaels and Titians – plus Michelangelo’s only complete surviving cartoon. Any one of these drawings has a claim to being my favourite in Bloomsbury, but for today at least that crown goes to Andrea del Verrocchio’s Head of a Woman.
This delicate study of an ideal woman is probably connected with a banner Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci designed for a joust held in Florence in 1475. Quite how it is related is less clear, but it is unlikely to be directly preparatory. Instead, Verrocchio seems to have used his studies for the banner, especially one on the verso of the sheet, as a springboard to create a new drawing, perhaps made as an end in itself.
The resulting work is one of several highly finished female heads by Verrocchio. The type was very popular: Vasari prized a couple among the contents of his famous ‘book’, and the young Leonardo also imitated his master’s formula. Looking at the British Museum sheet, it is not hard to understand why. With this radiant, gently animated head, Verrocchio conjures an alluring ideal world – a perfect tranquillity spiced with the exotic patterns of plaits and braids in the woman’s impossibly elaborate coiffure. This is a sheet that invites us to admire its maker’s imaginative powers, and yet Verrocchio’s highly tonal, almost painterly treatment of the woman’s face creates a vivid sensation of a real person caught at an introspective moment. Pattern; plasticity; psychology. This drawing’s got it all.
Review
Holbein at the Tudor Court (10 Nov 2023 – 14 Apr 2024)
The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, London
Reviewed by: Tom Mendel (Nonesuch Gallery)
It is perhaps unusual to see an exhibition of drawings and paintings by a 16th century German artist that isn't Albrecht Dürer receive rapturous reviews in British newspapers: Holbein is a name that plenty of museum-goers know, but only in the context of a few fairly conservative portraits dotted around London collections (including of course, The Ambassadors). The exhibition at the Queen's Gallery seeks to change this perception radically, by presenting the largest number of the artist's works exhibited in Britain in decades, all taken from a collection which includes more of his work than any other.
Holbein's vivacious portrait drawings form the bedrock of the exhibition, with the walls of one of the larger galleries lined with his immediately recognisable portraits. Many of the sheets are coloured in the distinctive pink-red wash that Holbein applied to create a ready-made skin tone for his sitters. What is a revelation to those not so familiar with Holbein is his highly original use of watercolours: in the portrait of James Butler, we see a luminous red hat whose colour has hardly dimmed since its creation; while a careful examination of almost all of his drawings reveals small touches of colour in his sitters’ features.
The exhibition also displays a number of paintings, several of which are unexpected: upon entering the exhibition, one is greeted with Holbein’s Noli me Tangere, one of the artist's first works produced in England. This is the only strictly religious
painting in the exhibition, and it suggests a path which Holbein never felt compelled to go down. A fascinating juxtaposition follows immediately after this work in the form of Girolamo da Treviso's Protestant Allegory. Although we may think of Holbein as being the definitive 'Tudor artist', he was only the third highest-salaried artist in Henry VIII's court. Girolamo was paid three times as much for his services as Holbein was and yet his posthumous reputation has never risen to the same heights.
Holbein's own portrait paintings are among the finest examples of their time and their crispness and verisimilitude continues to amaze. The exhibition makes a point of placing drawings with their associated paintings where possible, which provides valuable insight into Holbein's working methods (here a change of angle, there an addition of a decorative background). There are several drawings among the group which are certainly much less finished and, arguably, less accomplished than others; however, this is effectively explained by demonstrating their utility rather than focusing entirely on their beauty.
Unfortunately, the addition of paintings by anonymous artists of Tudor figures - Henry VIII and the boy-king, Edward VI - do little beyond adding atmosphere. Though the latter is an impressive picture, it is no Holbein, and the lack of any known paintings by the German artist of the King or his son is a great shame. Another issue with the show is less unavoidable regrettably, and that is the difficulty in getting close enough to Holbein's beautiful miniatures. Holbein may not have been as brilliant, original or modern-seeming as his contemporaries in the Italian courts, but there is certainly more to him than many of the portrait artists that dominated British taste in the 17th and 18th century, and this exhibition goes a long way to showing the remarkable range of his talents.
DEMYSTIFYING DRAWINGS
How To: Restore a drawing
Short answer: don’t try it at home.
To the world at large, the field of drawing conservation and restoration may be something of an unknown quantity and seem hopelessly inaccessible. To remedy these misconceptions and debunk any myths surrounding conservation our editor spoke with Helen Loveday, conservator and restorer extraordinaire.
Where to start and where to look for a conservator?
Everyone should feel that they can approach a conservator for advice and guidance. An initial e-mail with a couple of photographs is always helpful, followed by a telephone call and studio visit if appropriate. The Institute of Conservation holds a register of accredited conservators www.conservationregister.com. Some conservators chose not to be included within this list, and therefore another means of finding help is via a reputable framer.
When assessing the condition of a drawing what should one look out for?
Step 1: Self-Assessment.
Assess the drawing itself and whether you think conservation is necessary to prolong its lifespan and prevent future deterioration.
Step 2: Free Consultation.
Discuss the possibilities and limitations of your project with a conservator. Establish your expectations.
Step 3: Leave in Capable Hands.
Procedures can take anything from an hour to a number of months. Ask your conservator for a realistic timeline.
Step 4: Collect and Discuss.
Collect the restored work from your conservator and examine the restored areas.
Step 5: Hang Considerately.
Frame, hang and enjoy, although be sure not to hang in direct sunlight or above a source of heat!
Whereas most physical damage, such as creasing, tears or losses, can generally be treated successfully and often with a high degree of invisibility, I would be wary of staining from mould and self-adhesive tapes, and of rust from staples and pins. I would also approach any work that has been adhered to a backing with caution, this may signal a fragility within the original paper. Occasionally the backing is of such poor quality that it weakens the work that it is meant to preserve.
Are there strict rules as to what is treatable and what is not?
I am hesitant to say that there are hard and fast rules. On occasion I must advise that nothing can done for a work, although typically, if a work will tolerate aqueous treatments, from gentle humidification to total immersion in water, a range of treatments is possible. Prints, watercolours and drawings fall into this category. However, if the paper is too fragile, or the media on its surface too friable (pastel, chalk and charcoal), the scope of conservation is more restricted. Pen and ink drawings fall between these two extremes, some respond fantastically well to treatment, whilst others may be too water-sensitive to be treated to anything more than gentle humidification and flattening.
Are certain materials and media more susceptible to damage than others?
Papers manufactured after the First World War are often of poor quality and susceptible to deterioration. Unfixed pastels, chalks and charcoals fly from the paper with the slightest encouragement. But even these can and should be helped if needed, and so I would hate to discourage anyone from adding to their collection through concern over the fragility of a work that they love.
Are certain materials and media harder to restore than others?
Staining resulting from self-adhesive tapes, masking or Sellotape, is extremely hard to remove, as are oil and adhesive residue markings. Whereas paper that has discoloured as a result of light damage can often be lightened, pigments that have faded can never be returned to their original hue or intensity of colour.
Does the restoration process ever present any dangers of further damage?
The aim of all conservation treatments should be to arrest present and prevent future damage. However, some procedures do carry risk, and this should be explained at the outset by the conservator.
What is foxing and is it treatable?
Foxing is the process of deterioration that causes dark spots to emerge on old papers. In most instances foxing results from the corrosion of minute metallic particles within the sheet, typically iron or copper. The particles will often have entered the pulp either through the water or via the machinery used in its manufacture. Providing the media on the sheet of the paper will tolerate aqueous treatments, most foxing can be successfully reduced or removed entirely, either through the use of iron-solubilizing agents or gentle bleaching.
How can I best preserve a drawing to prevent damage and discolouration?
The greatest risks to a work of art on paper are heat, light, and moisture. Bathrooms should be avoided due to their fluctuating moisture content, as should any wall where there is a tendency for damp or water ingress. Paper and pigments also hate change, and therefore it is advisable to hang, or store works in rooms that are stable in terms of their ambient temperature and humidity.
Are things time sensitive?
I would suggest that most works of art can be patient in respect of potential conservation: the repair of tears and the treatment of foxing, for example. However, if an item is wet, recently stained, or with active mould growth, I would certainly want to examine and treat it as quickly as possible.
What has been your favourite restoration project to be involved in?
Relatively early in my career I was handed a small 9th century Coptic school book on parchment containing a child’s handwriting exercises. The first page was neatly inscribed with incredible care, clean hands and a keen eye. But the pupil’s concentration began to wane by page two, and they soon began to doodle in the margins (ducks and smiling faces). By page five, mud was helping to adhere the folios together. I will never forget this little volume, and what it taught me about the unchanging nature of humanity.
Real or Fake
Can we fool you? The term “fake” may be slightly sensationalist when it comes to old drawings. Copying originals and prints has long formed a key part of an artist’s education and with the passing of time the distinction between the two can be innocently mistaken.
In this example we have a curious case of a master and his apprentice. Both men were sculptors: one highly celebrated and popular in his lifetime; the other less-so and now perhaps of greatest interest for his activity as a forger of 19th century sculptural and Old Master drawings. The drawings in question depict the master’s most renowned sculptural monument, now housed in the Pitti Palace in Florence. One drawing is simply a copy of the other, but which is which?
Scroll to the end of the newsletter for answers.
Resources and Recommendations
to listen
Carrie Vout on Venus, Hermaphroditus, and other Classical Bodies in Art.
Katy Hessel, host of the Great Women Artist’s podcast, speaks with Caroline Vout, Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge, about the idealisation of women’s bodies in art and its roots in classical antiquity, beginning with the problem of how to depict an immortal being in material form. These classical bodies would come to define the canon of Western academic artistic learning and formed the idealised models which would be studied and emulated by centuries of artists from the Renaissance onward.
to watch
Conserving Old Master Drawings: A Balancing Act
In keeping with this month’s interview topic this video which was posted to the Getty’s YouTube channel in 2010 is a highly insightful view into one of the paper conservator’s restoration techniques. The case in point is a drawing from the circle of Wolf Huber. Do not try this at home.
to read
Drawings Connoisseurship and the Problem of Multiple Originals
Louisa Wood Ruby addresses one of the thornier areas of drawings scholarship: the possibility of multiple autograph versions of the same drawn composition. While scholars of old master paintings are more willing to accept the existence of multiple originals, old master drawings specialists are more reluctant to do so. By examining the case of Paul Bril, Wood Ruby posits various potential explanations for the existence of “autograph copies”.
answer
The original, of course, is on the right (the lower image if you are viewing on mobile). The drawing is by Lorenzo Bartolini, and it relates to his masterwork, the Demidoff Monument. The drawing is held in the Uffizi, Florence (inv. no.: 19219 F).
On the left is the copy by Egisto Rossi, also in the Uffizi, bearing an inscription that links the work to Bartolini. A forged signature or an attempt to denote the maker of the drawing’s subject? Rossi’s activities as a forger had long been suspected, although not fully explored until Roberta Olson’s article in Master Drawings in the Summer of 1982. Olson was as unimpressed with his draughtsmanship as his attempted deceit.
“Whatever the medium, all Rossi drawings share a common denominator: they are inherently weak and, when analyzed, lack structure and definition. Even when Rossi directly copies known works, the articulation is insipid and there is a disturbingly even quality to the draughtsmanship. In short, because they are the work of a copyist, they lack the spark of life that animates original drawings." (R. Olson, “"Caveat Emptor": Egisto Rossi's Activity as a Forger of Drawings”, in Master Drawings, Summer, 1982, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Summer, 1982), p. 150).
