John Flaxman
Oceanus and Prometheus Bound

Public Domain

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Images(2)

Artist John Flaxman(English, 1755–1826)English, 1755–1826

CultureEnglish

Titles

Oceanus and Prometheus Bound
from the series Aeschylus

Datec. 1795

MediumGraphite and ink on wove paper

DimensionsSheet: 9 × 11 1/4 in. (22.9 × 28.6 cm)
Window opening: 8 3/4 × 10 3/4 in. (22.2 × 27.3 cm)

Credit LineGift of Cecily E. Horton

Object number2017.220

Not on view

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Department

Prints and Drawings

Object Type

DRAWINGS, PASTELS & WATERCOLORS

ProvenanceThe artist; acquired by Thomas Hope, [1]; by descent to Lord Francis Hope Pelham-Clinton-Hope, 1917; [Pelham-Clinton-Hope sale, Humbert & Flint, London, 1917; [Scott & Fowles, New York, by 1918] [2]; private collection, U.S.A., after 1918; [Lowell-Libson, London, at least by 2015]; acquired by Cecily Horton, 2015; given to MFAH, 2017

[1] Hope’s relationship with Flaxman was close for he also acquired a major figural group Aurora Abducting Cephalus from Flaxman in Rome in 1792 which is now in the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool. (See David Watkin and Philip Hewat-Jaboor, eds., Thomas Hope: Regency Designer, exh. cat. [London, Victoria and Albert Museum, 2008], p. 352, Cat. 55). It is possible that Hope acquired this drawing with the rest of the album from Flaxman whilst he was designing the illustrations to Dante.
[2] Catalogue of an Exhibition of Original Drawings by John Flaxman R A. New York: Scott & Fowles, 1918.
Exhibition HistoryBirnbaum, Martin, ed. Catalogue of an Exhibition of Original Drawings by John Flaxman R.A. New York: Scott & Fowles, 1918, cat. 58 (as “Prometheus chained”), p. 31.
New York, Scoot & Fowles, Exhibition of Original Drawings by John Flaxman R.A., exh. cat. (1918), Cat. 58 (as “Oceanus [Prometheus chained]).
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

Recto, pasted on border: Signed in pen, lower right: J. Flaxman

Watermark: [none]

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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