Saturday, October 21, 2017

Neoclassical Drawings of Ancient Carved Gems

Charles Townley (collector)
Cameo - Eros riding horse
ca. 1768-1805
drawing, watercolor
British Museum

Charles Townley (collector)
Intaglio - Eros riding horse
ca. 1768-1805-
drawing, watercolor
British Museum

"Charles Townley (1707-1805) - Collector and connoisseur of  mainly classical antiquities.  Collection purchased by the British Museum in 1805 (classical sculpture) and 1814 (other antiquities, sold by his cousin and heir Peregrine Townley)."

Searching the name of Charles Townley, the 18th-century London collector, in the catalogue of the British Museum yields 6,889 items.  Each of the exquisite Neoclassical watercolors displayed here belonged to Townley, recording the appearance of an antique gem he also owned. These tiny watercolors and wash-drawings are still preserved in Townley's original albums, usually pasted several to a sheet. The identity of the actual painter or painters is not discussed, or not in any of the records I have examined.  

Charles Townley (collector)
Intaglio - Two-horse chariot
ca. 1768-1805
drawing, watercolor
British Museum

Charles Townley (collector)
Glass-paste intaglio - Eros in chariot drawn by ibexes
ca. 1768-1805
drawing, watercolor
British Museum

Charles Townley (collector)
Intaglio - Trophy (suit of armour)
ca. 1768-1805
drawing, watercolor
British Museum

Charles Townley (collector)
Glass-paste intaglio - Achilles dragging body of Hector behind chariot
ca. 1768-1805
drawing, watercolor
British Museum

Charles Townley (collector)
Glass-paste intaglio - Victory holding shield
ca. 1768-1805
drawing, watercolor
British Museum

Charles Townley (collector)
Glass-paste intaglio - Dionysos
ca. 1768-1805
drawing, watercolor
British Museum

Charles Townley (collector)
Glass-paste intaglio - Diomedes seizing the Palladium
ca. 1768-1805
drawing, watercolor
British Museum

Charles Townley (collector)
Intaglio - Heads of the Dioscuri
ca. 1768-1805
drawing, watercolor
British Museum

Charles Townley (collector)
Glass-paste intaglio - Ganymede seized by Eagle
ca. 1768-1805
drawing, watercolor
British Museum

Charles Townley (collector)
Glass-paste intaglio - Erotes with ship
ca. 1768-1805
drawing, watercolor
British Museum

Charles Townley (collector)
Glass-paste intaglio - Actor with mask on top of his head
ca. 1768-1805
drawing, watercolor
British Museum

Charles Townley (collector)
Gem - Elephant emerging from snail shell
ca. 1768-1805
drawing, watercolor
British Museum