Attributed to Alessandro Vellutello

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Purgatorio, Canti X-XII, The Purgation of Pride: Section of the Mountain, with Sun on the Right; Virgil and Dante Climb Through a Narrow Cleft in the Rock and Meet the Proud; They See Three Examples of Humility Carved on the Rock; Virgil and Dante Meet Omberto Aldobrandeschi and Oderisi Miniator; Ten Examples of Punished Pride Carved into the Pavement; Meeting with the Angel of Humility; They Climb to the Upper Circle

Pen and brown ink on paper.

8 1/8 x 11 inches (207 x 280 mm)

Gift of Mr. H.P. Kraus.

1966.12:14

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Notes:

Watermark: none.
This drawing probably represents only the left part of a larger composition.
Formerly attributed to Italian School, 16th cent.

Inscription:

Inscribed by the artist in pen and brown ink, at lower center, following the curve of the mountain, "Prima Cornice Superbi / queste anime vanno con i pesi adosso cantando il pater noster purgandosi dalla superbia quali pesi erano piu o meno grassi"; throughout, labelling the figures, "V[ergil]; D[ante]; omberto aldobra[n]deschi; provinzan salvianj; oderisi miniatore; oderisi miniatore"; above this, at upper left, carved in the rock, "3. storie d'humilta scolpite in marmo contrarie alla superbia", below this, labelling the three scenes, "traiano Imperat; Arca David; nuntiata", on the right, carved in the pavement, labelling the examples of punished pride, "lucifero; briareo; nembrot; niobe; saul; jerusalem / roboam; almeon; ciro; oloferne; troia", below this, "X [i.e. ten] storie d'esempi di superbia poste in terra e scolpite nel pavimento a calpestarsi per purgarsi dalla superbia"; in upper right corner, "... cheno... asa(?) / che...sc.../ un...anoz".

Provenance:

J. I. Davis, London; H. P. Kraus (1907-1988), Vienna and New York, by whom presented to the Pierpont Morgan Library in 1966.

Associated names:

Anonymous, Italian School, 16th cent., Formerly attributed to.
Davis, J. Irving, 1889-1967, former owner.
Kraus, Hans Peter, 1907-1988, former owner.
Dante Alighieri, 1265-1321, Divina Commedia.

Bibliography:

Rhoda Eitel-Porter, "Drawings for the Woodcut Illustrations to Alessandro Vellutello's 1544 Commentary on Dante's Comedia", Print Quarterly, XXXVI, March 2019, pp. 3-17
Matthew Collins, "The Forgotten Morgan Dante Drawings, Their Influence on the Marcolini Commedia of 1544, and Their Place within a Visually-Driven Discourse on Dante's Poem," Dante Studies 136 (2018): 93-132.
Lamberto Donati, "Commento ad una serie di disegni del XVI secolo illustranti la Divina Commedia", La Bibliofilia, LXV, 1963.
Adams, Frederick B., Jr., ed. Fifteenth Report to the Fellows of the Pierpont Morgan Library, 1967 & 1968. New York : Pierpont Morgan Library, 1969, p. 91-92.
Pierpont Morgan Library. Review of Acquisitions, 1949-1968. New York : Pierpont Morgan Library, 1969, p. 150.

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Vellutello, Alessandro

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