Read the visual description
This is a richly textured reddish-brown book cover with gold embossed text. The title "DANTE" is displayed prominently in the center, with "FLAXMAN" below it. The border of the cover includes a simple gold outline. The spine of the book, visible on the left edge, has ornate ridges and shows signs of wear. The other edges appear similarly worn.
National Gallery of Art · Volume
Album of Drawings for Dante's "Divine Comedy"
John Flaxman
- Date
- c. 1793
- Medium
- bound volume with 78 drawings in pen and ink and graphite
- Dimensions
- sheet: 42.5 × 30.4 cm (16 3/4 × 11 15/16 in.) book: 43.8 × 32.5 × 3.4 cm (17 1/4 × 12 13/16 × 1 5/16 in.)
- Classification
- Volume · Drawing
- Accession number
- 1943.3.3734
- Credit line
- Rosenwald Collection
- Time span
- 1776 to 1800
- Department
- CG-E
Subjects and terms
- British
Provenance
By descent to the artist's niece, Miss Denman [1]; by descent to her nephew, Mr. Denman; (sale, Christie's, London, May 1862); Charles Sackville Bale [1791-1880], London (Lugt 640); (his sale, Christie's, London, 16 May 1881, lot 382); (Thomas Agnew & Sons, Ltd.). Walter Henry James [1846-1923], Betteshanger, England. (Raphael King, Ltd., London); Lessing J. Rosenwald, 1940; gift to the NGA, 1943. [1] It is possible that the album passed by descent to the artist's sister-in-law, Maria Denman, referred to as Miss Denman. Flaxman left Maria Denman many of his works upon his death.
Inscription
In pencil inside front flyleaf: J. Flaxman left his drawings to his niece Miss / Denman. On her death they came to her nephew, Mr. Denman, and were o ffered for / sale by him at Christie's in 1862: when / these drawings were bought by Mr. Bale / May 1862 / F. T. Palgrave
NGA object ID 6852. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.