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| Antonio Tendi Head from an antique statue of Jupiter 1798 drawing British Museum |
Further examples of 18th-century drawings and prints used to promote sales in London for antiquities from Italy. At the end of the 18th century, England's economic advantage over divided Italy was so great, and ancient sculpture so fashionable, that Roman artifacts flowed north in a torrent, as we have seen.
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| attributed to James Stephanoff Herm-Bust of Bacchus ca. 1768-1805 drawing British Museum |
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| Johann Adam Schweickart Janus-headed Herm-Bust 1743 etching British Museum |
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| Jonathan Richardson Senior Roman Bust 18th century drawing British Museum |
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| attributed to Vincenzo Pacetti Bust of Menelaus at the Vatican ca. 1777 drawing British Museum |
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| Raphael Morghen Antique Head of Augustus 1789 engraving British Museum |
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| William Hogarth Bust of Hesiod at Wilton 1728 engraving British Museum |
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| Anonymous printmaker Head from a Statue of a Companion of Ulysses ca. 1769-1805 drawing British Museum |
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| John Brown Head from an antique statue of a Bacchante ca. 1786 drawing British Museum |
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| William Chambers Head from an antique statue of an Amazon ca. 1768-1805 drawing British Museum |
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| Benjamin Robert Haydon Head from an antique statue of a Gaul ca. 1778-1805 drawing British Museum |
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| Gerard van der Gucht after Peter Paul Rubens Antique Herm-Bust of Hippocrates ca. 1730 engraving British Museum |
As seen here yesterday, Peter Paul Rubens owned a personal collection of antique busts. He drew these, and others, then had them engraved by his workshop printmakers. Lucas Vorsterman engraved several, including the Democritus below. Another 150 years passed before the English poet and artist William Blake made use of Vorsterman's engraving as a template to produce a commissioned book illustration of his own.
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| Lucas Vorsterman after Peter Paul Rubens Antique Bust of Democritus ca. 1638 engraving British Museum |
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| William Blake after Lucas Vorsterman after Peter Paul Rubens Bust of Democritus ca. 1789 engraving British Museum |
I am grateful to the British Museum for the excellent reproductions.