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| Charles Townley (collector) Cameo - Eros riding horse ca. 1768-1805 drawing, watercolor British Museum |
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| Charles Townley (collector) Intaglio - Eros riding horse ca. 1768-1805- drawing, watercolor British Museum |
"Charles Townley (1707-1805) - Collector and connoisseur of mainly classical antiquities. Collection purchased by the British Museum in 1805 (classical sculpture) and 1814 (other antiquities, sold by his cousin and heir Peregrine Townley)."
Searching the name of Charles Townley, the 18th-century London collector, in the catalogue of the British Museum yields 6,889 items. Each of the exquisite Neoclassical watercolors displayed here belonged to Townley, recording the appearance of an antique gem he also owned. These tiny watercolors and wash-drawings are still preserved in Townley's original albums, usually pasted several to a sheet. The identity of the actual painter or painters is not discussed, or not in any of the records I have examined.
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| Charles Townley (collector) Intaglio - Two-horse chariot ca. 1768-1805 drawing, watercolor British Museum |
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| Charles Townley (collector) Glass-paste intaglio - Eros in chariot drawn by ibexes ca. 1768-1805 drawing, watercolor British Museum |
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| Charles Townley (collector) Intaglio - Trophy (suit of armour) ca. 1768-1805 drawing, watercolor British Museum |
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| Charles Townley (collector) Glass-paste intaglio - Achilles dragging body of Hector behind chariot ca. 1768-1805 drawing, watercolor British Museum |
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| Charles Townley (collector) Glass-paste intaglio - Victory holding shield ca. 1768-1805 drawing, watercolor British Museum |
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| Charles Townley (collector) Glass-paste intaglio - Dionysos ca. 1768-1805 drawing, watercolor British Museum |
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| Charles Townley (collector) Glass-paste intaglio - Diomedes seizing the Palladium ca. 1768-1805 drawing, watercolor British Museum |
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| Charles Townley (collector) Intaglio - Heads of the Dioscuri ca. 1768-1805 drawing, watercolor British Museum |
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| Charles Townley (collector) Glass-paste intaglio - Ganymede seized by Eagle ca. 1768-1805 drawing, watercolor British Museum |
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| Charles Townley (collector) Glass-paste intaglio - Erotes with ship ca. 1768-1805 drawing, watercolor British Museum |
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| Charles Townley (collector) Glass-paste intaglio - Actor with mask on top of his head ca. 1768-1805 drawing, watercolor British Museum |
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| Charles Townley (collector) Gem - Elephant emerging from snail shell ca. 1768-1805 drawing, watercolor British Museum |