G. S. (fl. 1839-1842)

[Album of 14 watercolors and 9 pencil sketches]

Rome: G. S., 1839-1840. Folio. (12 7/8 x 9 inches). 14 watercolor portraits with 9 uncolored pencil sketches, all on rectos of heavy wove paper with [J. W.] watermarks. This is the mark of J. W. Zanders, a German paper company in the North Rhine-Westphalia region from 1829-2021. Eleven of the portraits have contemporary pencilled manuscript in their lower-right corners signed "G. S." that give the city as Rome with dates between December 19, 1839, and January 10th, 1840.

Half-bound in contemporary dark green morocco with contemporary green patterned cloth boards, spine in seven gilt ruled compartments with [COSTUME | 1839] in gilt in second compartment, edges gilt

A remarkable 19th-century watercolor album of portraits of figures in traditional Roman costume by an accomplished artist on the Grand Tour.

This album holds 23 Roman portraits of 14 men and 9 women. Of the men, four are religious figures, including two monks. Three men are seen with musical instruments, one with a type of bagpipe. Three mothers are depicted tending to their children, while two other women grasp rosaries. Several mischievous boys are shown, and two men who could only be called louts. The artist seemed intent on capturing typological costumes and roles in Roman society. The album has a flair, likely executed by a European on the Grand Tour, of which Rome was often the culmination. Watercolor was a popular choice for traveling artists using sketchbooks as the paints are easily transportable, take to paper, and have a short drying time. The paper in the album was produced in Germany, pointing toward an artist of German extraction. The watercolor portraits themselves are pleasing, effective depictions of the time, place, and people. This is Europe in the time of Dickens and Hugo, and the portraits in the album are reminiscent of the stock characters read in those grand nineteenth-century novels.

Item #41404

Price: $2,250.00