drawing
- Museum number
- 1946,1116.1
- Description
-
The Holy Family; the Infant Christ standing near the seated Virgin, who is conversation with Joseph
Pen and grey-brown ink, on grey paper
- Production date
- 1530-1540
- Dimensions
-
Height: 299 millimetres
-
Width: 202 millimetres
- Curator's comments
- This was attributed to Parmigianino in the 1934 sale catalogue (when it did not sell; information supplied by Diane Michaels of the European Commission for Looted Art, in about 2000). Benesch's publication of the drawings as Parmigianino was questioned by Beguin who attributed it instead to Dell'Abate. David Ekserdjian has seen the drawing and thinks it is a mature work by Parmigianino dating from the last decade of his life.
Lit: O. Benesch, "Die Graphischen Künste", NF, I, Vienna, 1936, pp11-20, 60-66 (as Parmigianino; reprinted by E. Benesch in 'Otto Benesch: Collected Writings, vol. II: Netherlandish Art of the 15th and 16th centuries, Flemish and Dutch Art of the 17th century, Italian Art, French Art' , New York, 1971, p. 337, no. 11); S. Beguin, in exhib. cat., Bologna, 'Niccolo dell'Abate', 1969, no. 44; D. Hirst, 'Report of the Spoliation Advisory Panel in respect of four drawings now in the possession of the British Museum', printed for the House of Commons, London, April, 2006, p. 2
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1946
- Acquisition notes
- This drawing was included in the collection of old master drawings belonging to Arthur Feldmann, which was wrongfully seized by the Gestapo from his home in Brno on 15 March, 1939. It is one of four drawings that were claimed from the British Museum by Uri Peled on behalf of the heirs of Arthur Feldmann on 13 May 2002. The Trustees accepted the evidence for the claim on 27 July 2002, and following consideration of the case by the Spoliation Advisory Panel on 27 April 2006, the heirs received an ex gratia payment from the government in compensation for the loss of the drawings. The claimants wished for the drawings to remain in the British Museum, and it was agreed that display would carry an acknowledgement of the Feldmann provenance and the circumstances of the loss in 1939.
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1946,1116.1