Earlom (Richard, 1743-1822) A collection of eleven drawings, possibly after Giovanni Battista Cipriani and other old masters, chalks, conté crayon, graphite, on various papers, some with prepared and coloured grounds, various watermarks, all appear to be late 18th century, each numbered in the lower left corners in pencil, one sheet indistinctly inscribed in pencil '[?]for Plate' and dated 'Jan. 20th 1792', various sizes from 255 x 210 mm. (10 x 8 1/4 in) to 455 X 355 mm. (18 x 14 in), uniformly mounted with various inscriptions and attributions in German, presented in cloth drop-back box, [late 18th century]

Provenance:
Sale. Dr. Ernst Hauswedell, Hamburg, Gemalde Zeichnungen Und Graphik des 16-19 Jahrhunderts Dekorative Graphik, 8th June 1972 (individual lots, nos. 145-159, sold as Attributed to;
Anonymous sale. Christie's London, 18th December [year unknown, probably mid to late 1970s], lot 5 (lot label to drop-back box);
Private collection, UK.

⁂ Known to have been a student of Giovanni Battista Cipriani (1727-1785), Earlom was highly regarded for his drawing ability, but his reputation was to be defined by the masterful achievements of his mezzotint grounds, culminating in the monumental two volume Liber Veritatis, which contained 200 prints after original drawings by Claude Lorraine.

The present collection of eleven drawings not only show the influence of Earlom's master, Cipriani, but they also bear close similarities to the known body of drawings by Earlom. Interestingly, the provenance of the drawing held in the British Museum for Earlom's chalk drawing 'A sleeping youth' (see acc. no. 2011,7084.50), which is also on prepared paper, suggests it was probably bought in the same auction in 1972 as the drawings above; the BM state their drawing was bought from an auction that took place in 'Hamburg, late 60s early 70s' prior to its purchase by Christopher Lennox-Boyd at Christie's 'a year later'. Other similar drawings can be found at the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco (Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, acc. no. 69.30.59), and also the drawing 'Study of a draped figure' offered Sotheby's London (Drawings from Britain and the Continent, 10th July, 1995, lot 214).