-
Persian Shawl-Merchant
Preziosi, born 1816 - died 1882 - Enlarge image
Persian Shawl-Merchant
- Object:
Watercolour
- Place of origin:
Turkey (painted)
- Date:
1850-1860 (painted)
- Artist/Maker:
Preziosi, born 1816 - died 1882 (possibly, painter (artist))
- Materials and Techniques:
Pencil and watercolour, touched with bodycolour
- Credit Line:
Purchased with the assistance of The Art Fund, the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Shell International and the Friends of the V&A
- Museum number:
SD.842
- Gallery location:
Prints & Drawings Study Room, level D, case 86, shelf SC, box 29
Place of Origin
Turkey (painted)
Date
1850-1860 (painted)
Artist/maker
Preziosi, born 1816 - died 1882 (possibly, painter (artist))
Materials and Techniques
Pencil and watercolour, touched with bodycolour
Marks and inscriptions
Inscribed with title
Dimensions
Height: 26.5 cm, Width: 18.3 cm
Object history note
According to Rodney Searight: - `Bt. from N. Vilag, April 1966, £14 [with SD.836 and SD.843-SD.844]'
Historical context note
Cf. "Persian, itenerant [sic] dealer in Kermaun shawls.", Curzon album; and "A carpet seller", Christie's album. See below.
Demand for Preziosi's oriental characters was such that several examples exist in more than one version. Three large groups of these single figure studies are known. One is in the VAM, DPD (D.14-D.47-1907) and can be dated c.1843 (see VAM, Constantinople, 1985, pp.42-5); another is in the BM, PD (197 b.15), in an album commissioned by Robert Curzon (1810-1873), later 14th Baron del la Zouche, titled and dated Costumes of Constantinople 1844 (see VAM, Constantinople, 1985, pp.8, 23 n.14, 42); the other is in an album, titled and dated Turkish Costumes [...] 1851, sold at Christie's, 25.6.87 (132). (See lists in Searight Archive).
SD.838-SD.844 are all versions of images in one or more of these groups. Because they are unsigned and of variable quality it is difficult to ascertain whether they are copies by Preziosi himself or copies by an artist (or artists) working in his studio, or even, as probably in the case of SD.1171, by a visitor to Constantinople. No names of Preziosi's studio assistants are recorded, although one of his daughters, Mathilde, is known to have produced watercolours in his style: her signature appears on a female figure study in the Royal Collection, Sandringham (S 587). In addition amateur artists also imitated his manner and style: see H.H. Morant (SD.675 & SD.676).
Descriptive line
Watercolour, Persian Shawl-Merchant, 1850-1860. Possibly by Amadeo, 5th Count Preziosi
Subjects depicted
Turkey; Istanbul (City); Shawls; Persians; Shawl merchants
Categories
Paintings
Collection code
PDP
