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The Redcross Knight Introduced by Duessa to the House of Pride

Drawing
ca. 1730s-1740s (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

William Kent showed an interest in book-illustration from his earliest days in London after his return from Rome in 1719 and worked on designs for frontispiece, head- and tale-pieces for various publications. This particular drawing was one out of thirty-two designs created by Kent for Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene and was published by Stephen Wright and John Brindley in their edition of 1751.

Due to disparity in the allocation of the subjects between the volumes, it was once believed that a series of drawings for The Faerie Queene project was unfinished by Kent before his death. This theory was brought into doubt, however, by the fact that the existing drawings are numbered sequentially in ink, apparently by Kent himself, which indicates that no more than the thirty-two published were intended.

The designs for The Faerie Queene are not wholly successful, but Kent's inventions carry his characteristic energy and directness. They were severely criticised by Horace Walpole in his 'Anecdotes of Painting in England' when he commented that "Such of his drawings as he designed for Gay's Fables have some truth and nature; but whoever would search for his faults will find an ample crop in a very favourite work of his, the prints for Spenser's Faerie Queene". Despite the vigour of the drawings such comments serve to reinforce the view of Kent as a supreme designer and decorator but a poor painter and draughtsman.

The subjects represented do contain, however, many interesting reflections of Kent's involvement with picturesque gothic architecture and garden design. In this particular drawing, the gothic screen and other buildings are reminiscent of the new housing in Westminster Hall for the Courts if Chancery and of the King’s Bench which Kent devised in 1739.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Redcross Knight Introduced by Duessa to the House of Pride (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink on paper
Brief description
Drawing for illustration to Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene by William Kent, ca. 1730s-1740s.
Physical description
Drawing depicting the scene, from Book I, Canto IV, Stanza I (Pl. 7, p. 52, vol. I) of 'The Faerie Queene,' where Duessa introduces the Redcross Knight to the House of Pride.
Dimensions
  • Height: 6in
  • Width: 9.25in
Dimensions taken from Victoria & Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1928. London: HMSO, 1929
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • (Inscribed with title and notes)
  • 'Wm Kent Invt' (Signed)
Object history
Illustration for Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene published by John Brindley and Stephen Wright in 1751 (Book I, Canto IV, Stanza XIII). The engraving is in the reverse direction; Vol. I, following p. 52.
Literary reference'The Faerie Queene' by Edmund Spenser
Summary
William Kent showed an interest in book-illustration from his earliest days in London after his return from Rome in 1719 and worked on designs for frontispiece, head- and tale-pieces for various publications. This particular drawing was one out of thirty-two designs created by Kent for Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene and was published by Stephen Wright and John Brindley in their edition of 1751.

Due to disparity in the allocation of the subjects between the volumes, it was once believed that a series of drawings for The Faerie Queene project was unfinished by Kent before his death. This theory was brought into doubt, however, by the fact that the existing drawings are numbered sequentially in ink, apparently by Kent himself, which indicates that no more than the thirty-two published were intended.

The designs for The Faerie Queene are not wholly successful, but Kent's inventions carry his characteristic energy and directness. They were severely criticised by Horace Walpole in his 'Anecdotes of Painting in England' when he commented that "Such of his drawings as he designed for Gay's Fables have some truth and nature; but whoever would search for his faults will find an ample crop in a very favourite work of his, the prints for Spenser's Faerie Queene". Despite the vigour of the drawings such comments serve to reinforce the view of Kent as a supreme designer and decorator but a poor painter and draughtsman.

The subjects represented do contain, however, many interesting reflections of Kent's involvement with picturesque gothic architecture and garden design. In this particular drawing, the gothic screen and other buildings are reminiscent of the new housing in Westminster Hall for the Courts if Chancery and of the King’s Bench which Kent devised in 1739.
Bibliographic references
  • Drawings by William Kent from the Print Room Collection, London : Victoria & Albert Museum, 1984 7 Victoria & Albert Museum, Drawings by William Kent from the Print Room Collection, 1984, p. 4.
  • Victoria & Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1928. London: HMSO, 1929
Collection
Accession number
E.876-1928

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Record createdOctober 7, 2008
Record URL
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