A Life Size Marble Bust of Desiderius
Erasmus of Rotterdam (1476 – 1536).
by Peter Scheemakers (1691 – 1781).
Not signed or dated.
The Bust was Lot 54 in the Two Day
Sale by Langford of the Piazza Covent Garden 10/11 March 1756.
First day of Sale.
The Sale Catalogue –
Images here Courtesy of The Wellcome Collection.
see below
For an excellent starting place for the life and works of Erasmus see the excellent Wikipedia entry -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erasmus
I have written at length in my blogs on various works by Scheemakers.
The best published source for Scheemakers and a full list of his works is the Walpole Society Journal 1999.
Perer Scheemakers by Ingrid Roscoe/-
The bust was almost certainly created by Scheemakers using the many available engravings which had originated from the various contemporary portraits of Erasmus particularly by Hans Holbein (1497/8 – 1543). and Quinten Metsys (1456/1466–1530).
. A study of the Iconography of Erasmus would merit a book of its own.
The
bust had probably been a commission, but it is not possible to determine when
and by who or why it wasn’t delivered. It remained in the Vine Street, off
Piccadilly, studio of Scheemakers until March 1756.
By 1747, Langford was in partnership with Christopher
'Auctioneer' Cock (d. 1748),[and in 1748, succeeded him at the auction-rooms (later numbered 8-10) in
the north-eastern corner of the Piazza, Covent Garden.
Peter Scheemakers - A very brief summary of his life ....
Peter Scheemakers was the eldest son of Peter Scheamakers the Elder (1652 - 1714). He was baptised in Antwerp. He came to London in 1720 and worked briefly with Denis Plumier alongside Laurent Delvaux.
In 1728 the sold up and went to Rome returning to the studio in Millbank London without Delvaux.
In 1736 he moved to Old Palace Yard, Westminster close to Henry Cheere and then in 1741 to a larger yard at Vine Street, Piccadilly.
His monument to Shakespeare put up in Westminster Abbey 1740/41 made him famous.
He was a prolific and successful sculptor with 16 monument in Westminster Abbey. His assistants included Prince Hoare, Charles Stanley and later Charles Manning and Joseph Nollekens.
There was a further sale of studio contents 6 - 7 June 1771, after which he returned to Antwerp leaving the business to be continued by his nephew Thomas.
I have written a great deal of detailed research in this blog - for more use the search box at the top left hand corner.
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For a very useful overview of the life of Erasmus see - https://iep.utm.edu/erasmus/
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I don’t intend to
delve too deeply here into the portraiture of Erasmus but to give an overview of
how the engravings available in the mid 18th Century became
the basis for the Scheemakers Portrait Bust.
The Early Portraits of Erasmus.
By no means comprehensive.
The Metropolitan Museum Portrait of Erasmus.
By Hans Holbein
(1497/8 – 1543).
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/459080
For another excellent smaller version of this portrait see -
https://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/online/holbein/erasmus-rotterdam-oil-pane
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The London National
Gallery Portrait of Erasmus.
1523.
Size 73.6 × 51.4 cm
Oil on Board.
On long term loan
from Longford Castle.
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/hans-holbein-the-younger-erasmus
This portrait was possibly once owned by Richard Meade
........................
The Profile Portrait
of Erasmus.
Hans Holbein.
1523.
Mixed media on paper,
mounted on fir wood 37.1 x 30.8 cm
The Kunstmuseum Basel.
Switzerland.
There is another version
of this painting which had belonged to Charles I of England in the Louvre
https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010062617
.........................
Erasmus - Studio of Holbein.
Galleria Nazionale ·
Piazzale della Pilotta, Parma, Italy.
https://complessopilotta.it/artista_opera/hans-holbein-il-giovane-it/
................................
The Copper Plate Engraving
of the Semi profile portrait Erasmus by
Albrecht Durer.
height: 25.2 cm (9.9
in) width: 19.4 cm (7.6 in).
Nuremburg, 1526.
Inscribed in Latin,
'The portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam.
Drawn from life by
Albrecht Dürer' 1526
Victoria and Albert
Museum.
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O154972/portrait-of-desiderius-erasmus-print-d%C3%BCrer-albrecht/
Erasmus after Holbein.
The Engraving by Hieronymus Cock (1517 - 70) of Antwerp.
1555.
NPG.
..............................
Erasmus. -
C.1518/20.
From the Dyptich, the other portrait being the printer Peter Gillis.
Quinten Metsys (1456/1466–1530).
Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica. Rome.
,_by_Quentin_Matsys_-_Galleria_Nazionale_d'Arte_Antica,_Rome.jpg)
In 1499, whilst Thomas More was living in London he met the
Dutch Renaissance humanist and scholar, Desiderius Erasmus, who was briefly in the
city. This initial meeting of the two men turned into a lifelong friendship and
they continued to correspond on a regular basis during which time they worked
collaboratively to translate into Latin and have printed some of the works of
the Assyrian satirist, Lucian of Samosata.
It was through his meeting with Erasmus that Thomas More met Erasmus’
friend, Pieter Gillis, a fellow humanist, a printer by trade and town clerk of
Antwerp. One of Thomas More’s most
famous compositions was his two-volume work entitled Utopia. It is a depiction of a fictional island and
its religious, political and social customs and was More’s way of commenting
upon the social and political ideas of the day as well as highlighting and
satirising the failings he saw all around him.
In the first volume, entitled Dialogue of Counsel, it began with
correspondence between More himself and others, including Pieter Gillis. The whole idea of the book came to Thomas
More whilst he was staying at the Antwerp home of Gillis in 1515. On his return to England in 1516, Thomas More
completed the work and the first edition was edited by Erasmus and published in
Leuven. Thomas More dedicated this work
to Pieter Gillis.
In 1517, a year after the publication of the first edition
of More’s work, Desiderius Erasmus and Pieter Gillis, decided to send portraits
of themselves to Sir Thomas More.
This friendship diptych would act as a virtual visit to their English friend in London and they approached Quinten Massijs to carry out the dyptich, Erasmus’ portrait was the first to be completed because the portrait of Gillis was constantly being delayed due to him falling ill during the sittings. The two men had told Thomas More about the paintings which may not have been a wise move as More constantly queried them as to the progress of the paintings and became very impatient to receive the gift. The two works were finally completed and were sent to More whilst he was in Calais.
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The Medallion of
Erasmus after Holbein by Quentin Metsys (Massijs -various spellings)..
This version inLead - overall (diameter): 10.07 cm (3 15/16 in.)
Dated 1519.
Note the lack of
Earflaps on the cap.
National Gallery of Art Washington
https://purl.org/nga/collection/artobject/45499
for another version in bronze at the V
& A see –
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O102810/desiderius-erasmus-medal-metsys-quinten/
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The Engraving of the Profile
of Erasmus.
after the medallion by Quentin Mettsys.
The details of this engraving suggest that a version had been available to Scheemakers.
- in particular the ear and curls below the cap (without a flap).
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Engraving of Erasmus - After Holbein.
Published in Antwerp 1572..
Height: 175 mm Width:
122 mm.
British Museum.
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1925-1117-84
This is an engraving
after the Parma Holbein Portrait (above).
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1925-1117-84
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Erasmus after Holbein.
Pub. Claes Jansz.
Visscher (1587 – 1652), Amsterdam.
Early 17th
Century.
British Museum.
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1890-0415-161
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Vaillant Mezzotint after Holbein
Wallerant Vaillant (1623-1677). Amsterdam.
NPG.
Another image of
Erasmus without the earflaps on the cap.
Vaillant was one of
the inventors of the Mezzotint technique alongside Prince Rupert of the Rhine.
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Some Engraved Images of Erasmus from the 18th
Century.
Erasmus Receives the Book of Truth
https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/nl/collectie/RP-P-1909-508
Erasmus After
Holbein.
Engraving for a Bookplate / Advert. For David Mortier, Bookseller of the Strand (d.1721).
Height: 103
millimetres, Width: 66 millimetres.
(John Sturt 1658 –
1730).
British Museum.
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_Gg-4F-108
A Dutchman, born in Amsterdam,
brother of the famous Amsterdam bookseller Pieter (Pierre) Mortier who specialised in
atlases (see I.H.van Eeghen, De Amsterdamse Boekhandel 1680-1725, Amsterdam
1960-6, III pp.253-5). David was naturalised in England on 10 July 1696 (see
W.A.Shaw (ed), 'Letters of Denization and Acts of Naturalisation 1613-1700',
Huguenot Society, XVIII…
...........................
Erasmus after Holbein.
John Faber the Elder (1670 - 1721
Mezzotint.
.....................................
Erasmus after Holbein.
John Faber the Younger (1694 - 1756).
1714/15.
British Museum.
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1902-1011-1127
Note the cap without
ear flaps.
..............................
Erasmus after Holbein.
George Vertue (1684
-1756).
Inscribed to Benjamin
Marriot
Illustration to Samuel Knight's The Life of Erasmus : more particularly that
part of it which he spent in England, wherein an account is given of his
learned friends, and the state of religion and learning at that time in both
our universities; with an appendix containing several original papers / by
Samuel Knight, D.D., Prebendary of Ely
(J. Wyat, T. Edlin,
T. Cox, London: 1726).
c.1726.
Mezzotint Engraving.
British Museum.
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1849-1031-26
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Dr Collet with the
Portrait of Erasmus.
illustration to
Thomas Mortimer's, 'The British Plutarch' (Vol. I, p. 98, Edward Dilly, London,
12 vols, 1762)
Engraving after
Samuel Wale.
John Fougeron.
British Museum.
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1856-0614-160
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The Judgement of
Pluto.
Bernard Picart.
1727.
British Museum.
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1914-0214-139
Picart - Engraver,
son of Etienne who was sometimes called 'Picart le Romain'; specialised in book
illustration, in which he was a major figure with a large output. Trained in
Paris but worked in Netherlands in September 1696 - December 1698. Married in
Paris 1702 with four children. After death of wife and children turned
Huguenot, and left definitively for Holland in January 1710, taking his aged
father with him.
Settled
initially in The Hague, then in 1711 in Amsterdam, where remarried in 1712. His
wife henceforth acted as his agent in sales, and was notorious for the high
prices she charged and for getting proofs of all his book illustrations from
their publishers (see Gersaint in the Lorangère catalogue, 1744).
................................
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A Drawing of Erasmus by Flaxman.
..........................
In case of any
confusion!!
This Bust in the British Museum below is
not Erasmus by Scheemakers.
Bust of Sir Thomas
Moore.
Suggested as by
George Vertue.
Semi legible
inscription. [TM}ORVS/XV?
Painted clay?
Height 42 cm - Width:
32 cm
British Museum
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_1758-0512-1
Gifted to the B.M. shortly after
April 1758 by Thomas Hollis FRS (1720-74), the donor, of Corscombe, Dorset, was
called by contemporaries a 'republican', but only considered himself 'a true
whig'. His generosity in presenting coins, antiquities, prints and books to the
Museum between 1756 and his death in 1774.
The Painted Clay portrait bust of Sir Thomas Moore (1477/8-1535)
perhaps by or after George Vertue (1684-1756).
Vertue's sale catalogue includes twenty-four 'Models, Seals,
Impressions, Crayons, &c.', of which lot 38 is one: 'A head of king Henry
the 7th finely modell'd'. The sitter's printed name has
been scored out in black ink in the copy of the sale catalogue in the
Department of Prints and Drawings and 'Sr Tho.s More' added at the end
of the entry. The head, which must be the one in the Museum, sold for £1-2s.
A Catalogue of the Entire and Genuine Collection of Pictures,
Curious Miniatures, by Cooper, &c. Capital Limnings, Casts, Seals, and
Gold, Silver, and Copper Coins and Medals, of Mr George Vertue, Engraver, Late
of Brownlow-Street, deceas'd, sold by Ford, St James' Haymarket, 17 May 1757
and two following days (note: this was the second of Vertue's sales). At the
foot of the title page is, 'N.B. A Head of MILTON finely model'd from the
Life'.
This portrait bust is something of an enigma. Attributed by Mrs Katherine Esdaile to Scheemakers in 1921. (Whilst Mrs Esdailes work is sometimes very useful it needs to be treated with caution her work on Roubiliac, Oxford 1929 is a case in point).
This attribution is the author's error, given what we know now and the discovery of the Scheemakers' bust illustrated above.
See - K. A. Esdaile, 'Studies of the English sculptors from
Pierce to Chantrey, IX: Peter Scheemaker (1690-1771?), continued', The
Architect, 10 February 1922, p. 112.
“In the British and
Mediaeval Department at the British Museum is a plaster bust of Erasmus, of
obviously eighteenth-century type, with hairy eyebrows and deeply hollowed
eyes. As we shall see from the Sale Catalogues, Scheemaker made a bust of
Erasmus; evidently one of those which Vertue mentions as taken from old
pictures, and there can, I think, be no doubt that this is a cast of that work.
The companion bust in the Museum, a "Cicero" (not
the true type, but taken from a portrait known from the Renaissance onwards by
this name), is probably a cast of one of his Italian studies” No other bust
which could be identified as Erasmus is in the Museum collection.
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